Towards the Setting Sun
by aleaiactaest93
Summary: Five months after the Hun invasion Shang appears at the Fa Family home. He is to head an army going west, and has an important message for Mulan. What will happen? A tale of hardship and the love that blooms in the midst of battle. R&R! Disclaimer inside!
1. Chapter 1

DISCLAIMER: the first 13 chapters of this story do not belong to me, they are owned by the awesome **icedragon6171.** By publishing this story again, I'm not trying to gain the credit which rightfully belongs to her, I just want to finish it because I think (and many other readers will do so too) it is a crime to leave such an amazing story unfinished. I will try to keep the standads as high as the original writer has set them, so I'm open to any suggestions refering to the grammar, vocabulary...etc. But please note that I'll try to write this story in the same way I think the original writer would have done!

As I said, the first 13 chapters of this story do not belong to me, so if you want to leave any reviews, you can do so at .net/s/2514732/1/Towards_the_Setting_Sun (that's the first chapter of the original story. I wil post the links to the other chapters as I post them). However, you can also leave your reviews here and I'll make sure icedragon6171 gets them.

Having said all of that, ENJOY! (please note that I have changed absolutely NOTHING in the story! so don't ask me to do so, because it's not up to me!!)

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Disclaimer: I don't own any of the characters mentioned in this story. They are the rightful property of Disney.

A/N: This is the first time I have written a fanfic for Mulan, and I am hoping that people will enjoy my work, as this my ultimate aim. Please read and leave a review! Criticism will be accepted so long as it is constructive, but I'm sure there won't be any :)

The main events in this story will (hopefully) be somewhat historically accurate.

**Towards the Setting Sun**

Chapter 1

The Fa Family estate was quiet this morning, save for the quiet splash of water coming from the courtyard, where Mulan sat, scrubbing clothes in a vat of water. The rest of her family had gone to the market in town, and Mulan would have been going too, had she not lost that bet to her grandmother. Grumbling, she pulled the sleeves of her dress up for what must have been the hundredth time that morning, trying and failing miserably to keep them dry. Her mother would kill her when she saw the sorry state of what had been a fine dress in shades of blue and green.

In the five months that Mulan had been home from the army, life had almost returned back to the way it had been. Now, of course, Mulan's military training aided her somewhat with the daily household routine. To her parent's initial shock after her return, Mulan would wake up early in the morning - although by no means anywhere near how early she had to rise at Wu Zhong – and carried out her chores with a newfound ease and efficiency. Whereas she used to finish her tasks at sundown, now she finished almost three hours earlier, giving her time to practice the Kung-Fu she had been taught. Mulan wasn't yet ready to give that up just yet. The last time Li Shang had visited, almost a month ago now, he had demanded a sparring match, in which he easily defeated Mulan. Being a proud girl, Mulan wanted a rematch, and this time she wouldn't let Shang win.

The subject of Shang brought a slow smile to Mulan's lips as she wrung out the last of the clothes and set them aside on the warm stone of the courtyard for the hot afternoon sun to dry them. He had continued visiting her after the war, and his visits were always something to look forward to. Recently, however, he had been called to the imperial palace for matters of state he had to attend to, but Mulan didn't hold grudges on account of his absence. He would come in his own time.

_And when he does, _Mulan thought to herself, while emptying the vat of water into the gutter outside the gate, _I'll hear no end from Grandma about how perfect we'd be together._

Mulan wouldn't deny that she had thought about that herself on more than one occasion, but she knew that, for the time being at least, they were only friends. Hopes of anything more were exactly that for now, but she could always dream.

With the washing done, Mulan took the bronze tub back inside the house, leaving it in the kitchen before heading to her own room to change her clothes before her parents returned to see what she had done to her dress. Unfortunately for her, the sound of distant hoof-beats reached her ears before she could even close the door, and, knowing that her parents had gone to the market by foot, leaving Khan in the stable, she would have to receive whoever was approaching wearing her current, slightly soggy, attire. Stepping back out into the courtyard, she hurried to the gates and peered out.

The white stallion gave away the identity of the visitor before she could even see his face. Leaning against the gate-post, she waited for her visitor to draw nearer before hailing him.

"Good afternoon General," Mulan called, smiling widely, as Shang slowed his horse to a walk. Opening the gate wider, she waited for him to dismount and lead his horse inside. "What brings you here?"

Shang returned a small smile, but he was otherwise stone-faced. "Are your family home?" He asked, changing the subject.

"No," Mulan replied, frowning, "They're at the market, but they'll be home soon. Why?" She took his horse from him, and led it into the corral. After locking the corral's gate, she turned back to Shang, and tried to catch his eyes.

Shang didn't answer right away, sighing almost inaudibly. His gaze wandered up to the sky above them. "The Emperor is sending an army west, to fight the Western Turks. I am leading it…" He trailed off, and glanced down at her. Mulan, thinking he was studying the wet sleeves of her dress and generally dishevelled appearance, blushed and folded her arms across her chest in an effort to conceal them.

Mulan was silent for a moment, weighing the situation as they walked towards the garden and letting the flames in her cheeks die down. Shang appeared to have nothing further to say, and so Mulan took it upon herself to ask the question foremost on her mind.

"Well," she began, unsure of whether she really wished to hear an answer or not, "What does that have to do with me?". Mulan moved towards the stone bench beneath the magnolia tree and sat down on it's polished white surface. Shang sat down next to her, looking uneasy. Mulan could see he was tense despite the light armour he wore, judging from the way in which he moved, as though he were expecting a blow. Mulan had learnt to read Shang's movements back at camp, and their different surroundings now made no difference.

"That is what I need to speak to your father about." He replied. A certain quality in his voice made it clear that he wasn't willing to talk more on the subject, and no amount of prodding would make him do so. Resigned, Mulan busied herself with studying the canopy of the tree above them.

An awkward silence stretched between the two of them as they sat beneath the shade of the magnolia, neither of them knowing quite what to say to the other. Mulan was the first to gather the courage to speak.

"So…" She asked, slowly, "How have you been?" It was at least something Mulan would be interested to hear about, although it wasn't the most pressing of questions. She hadn't seen Shang for a month, after all.

"Busy," He began, straightening where he sat and taking in a deep breath, "The Emperor has required my services in the recruitment and training of a competent Palace Guard, and I have also had to deal with a lot of administrative paperwork concerning the war at the North-Eastern border." Shang sighed heavily, a deep frown scarring his brow, "It would seem that there are none capable of properly organising everything from the reports I have read. The second week into the campaign and they were already low on supplies, which causes a great deal of problems back at the capital, many of which have been my business to deal with."

"Do the other Generals have as much work as you?" Mulan asked. It didn't seem fair for Shang to do so much, being as new to the position as he was.

Shang managed a small chuckle at that. "The other Generals? They do more, I should think, though I haven't asked. I should count myself lucky, I suppose, that the Emperor knows I am young yet, and inexperienced in comparison." He turned to her with a smile on his face that made Mulan light-headed. All she could do was stare back stupidly as he gazed at her with his handsome brown eyes. Unfortunately for Mulan he broke the contact of their eyes, the smile fading as he looked down at his lap, as though he had been caught doing something inappropriate. Had Mulan not been so giddy, she might have thought him nervous.

"Mulan, I-"

The slam of the gate cut Shang short, and he clearly jumped at the sound, hurriedly getting to his feet. Mulan, annoyed at the interruption, was almost ready to curse her family for their bad timing, but instead pursed her lips and moved to go to her parents. Mulan paused for a split second as she passed Shang, wondering at her reaction. What had she expected? Some profession of undying love? Considering who it was coming from, it was unlikely. Shang was too shy to say anything of the sort, especially to a girl he had only begun to really know. Resuming her walk back to the courtyard, Mulan made to cover her hesitation by adjusting the damp sleeves of her dress.

Mulan's mother was the first to notice her arrival in the courtyard, and immediately, as Mulan had expected, spotted the wet sleeves of Mulan's dress. Her face fell into a disparaging frown, while Mulan's father merely smiled and limped his way back to the house.

"Mulan…" She sighed, disapproval heavy in her voice, "What happened to your dress?"

Mulan opened her mouth to reply, a sheepish smile on her face, but her Grandmother cut in first.

"Who's our visitor Mulan?" She called from over at the corral, where she had a hand on the nose of Shang's stallion. The answer would have been obvious, even if Shang hadn't walked into the courtyard behind Mulan, but the older woman liked to tease her grand-daughter in this way.

"Shang's come to visit," Mulan announced to her gathered family, "He has something important to tell us." Only after Mulan noticed the wide grin on her grandmothers face and her mothers inquisitive expression did she realise how what she had said could misinterpreted. Only Mulan's father seemed to get what her meaning was, and he invited Shang into the house. Mulan's face was on fire with embarrassment, only made worse by the sideways wink her grandmother threw her on the way inside. Bringing her hands up to shield her red cheeks from view, Mulan followed her grandmother into the house.

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A/N: I hope people liked the first chapter, and are kind enough to leave a review. So, what does Shang have to say? How will Mulan and her family react? All will be explained in the next chapter!

icedragon6171

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Well, I hope you liked this chapter as much as I did when I first read it!! Remember you can leave your reviews here or at .net/s/2514732/1/Towards_the_Setting_Sun (go to the end of the chapter and click "Review this Story/Chapter").


	2. Chapter 2

DISCLAIMER: so, as I said on the previous chapter, this does not belong to me!! It belongs to **icedragon6171**!!!

To submit reviews on her story, go to my profile where you'll find the liks to do so!!

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Disclaimer: I don't own any of the characters mentioned in this story. They are the rightful property of Disney.

A/N: Here's the next chapter. I hope you all enjoy it. I have also re-posted the first chapter, clearing up a few minor mistakes I made.

For those of you who are interested, the Western Turkic rebellion is an actual historical event, although judging from the documents I have read concerning it, the date skips around between 650 AD and about 670 AD. I am hoping, as I said before, to achieve some degree of accuracy in this, although obviously I am going to have to change things to match the plotline and also add things here and there.

**Towards the Setting Sun**

Chapter 2

Li Shang sat at the table with Fa Zhou in his estate as Mulan poured a cup of steaming tea for him. The scent of it relaxed him somewhat, although it was still hard for the young man to be completely at ease, even in the friendly environment he found himself in currently. He smiled in thanks for the tea, taking the porcelain cup into his hands and feeling the heat seep through into his fingers. Gingerly, he took a sip of the hot liquid so as to not appear rude, careful not to burn his tongue, glancing towards the door that Mulan had just disappeared through. Letting out a quiet sigh of contentment, Shang gathered the courage to raise his eyes to meet those of Mulan's father, who was inspecting his reaction.

"Have you eaten, Shang?" Fa Zhou asked of Shang by way of greeting, "You are welcome to dine with us this evening, if you wish."

Shang dipped his head in assent, noticing that he was, in fact, very hungry. "It would be a pleasure, sir," he said, taking another sip of the tea in his hands and letting it trickle it's way down his throat. "I have not eaten since this morning."

"Now, Li Shang," Fa Zhou began, frowning at the younger man's use of formalities, "We have known each other for long enough. You need not call me 'Sir' anymore. You may use my name, as I use yours."

Shang bowed his head in apology, and contented himself to listen to the sounds of the household; things that Shang had not heard for many years. In the corner of the room, Grandma Fa sat at a wooden loom weaving damp ramie yarn into a fine cloth with nimble fingers, despite the age of the body they were attached to. The rhythmic clicking from the loom was oddly calming, and helped to make him feel more at home. Besides the loom, more subdued sounds emitted from the kitchen to Shang's left, beneath which a barely audible mumble of conversation between Mulan and her mother, Fa Li, could be heard as they cooked the evening meal.

"You look tired, Shang," Fa Zhou remarked in the forward manner of people his age. "I trust your journey wasn't too difficult?"

"The journey from Chang-an is a good day and a half ride from here, under normal circumstances. I didn't wish to waste time, and so I rode through much of the night to get here as soon as possible." Shang replied.

"What, may I ask, is so important that you needed to come here so quickly?"

Shang's features set in a frown, and he looked down to the remaining tea in his cup. Pausing, Shang considered his choice of words.

"I need to ask something important of you and Mulan," he said, slowly. The clicking of the loom stopped for a second, and then resumed. "The Emperor sent me."

Fa Zhou's back straightened, and his mouth set in a grim line. It occurred to Shang that the older man probably had a good idea as to the purpose of his visit, and had asked him of it in order to clarify his suspicions. Thankfully, Fa Zhou chose to keep his silence, and cease asking further questions.

The heavy silence which had fallen upon the room was broken by the sudden entrance of Mulan and her mother carrying steaming dishes of rice and meat, along with two bowls of sauces to top it all off. The smell of it all was enticing, and caused Shang's stomach to clench noisily in anticipation. Shang urged it to silence as Mulan set a bowl and chopsticks before him and took the vacant seat to his right. She flashed him a quick smile as she settled herself, which Shang returned hesitantly, and then began to help herself to the food arrayed before them, as her father was also doing. Shang, having dined with the family before, also served himself, knowing that the household didn't rely on the rules of etiquette which governed banquets at the Imperial City.

Shang tried not to eat his food too hastily, afraid that he would embarrass himself in front of some of the few people he wished to retain a good impression with, and instead listened politely to the conversation at the table. He felt slightly out of place as talk turned to the harvest, having never done farm-work himself, and soon he found his thoughts drifting to other matters, such as his reason for being there in the first place.

Belatedly, Shang realised that Fa Zhou had asked him a question, and now attention had turned to him. Setting his chopsticks down on the rim of his now empty bowl, Shang swallowed nervously.

"Uh, I'm sorry…Zhou," He said, trying to calm his shaking voice as the family passed looks between themselves, "What did you say?" Shang felt like a fool for having to ask, and felt his cheeks grow warm with embarrassment.

"I said," Fa Zhou began, his voice conveying his humour, though his face remained stoically straight, "What is it you have to say to us?"

Shang cleared his throat. "The Emperor is planning to send an army west, to the border there, to suppress the Western Turks who have rebelled against the Empire." Shang paused, and drew in a long breath, and addressed Fa Zhou. "The Emperor requests that Mulan joins the army again."

_There, _Shang thought, gauging the reactions of Mulan's family, _I've said it. Hopefully she won't go…_

"I'll go." Mulan declared boldly. Her family kept their silence.

Shang looked to Mulan's father across the table, who sat with his eyes closed, confused as to why he said nothing. As though he had read his mind, Fa Zhou opened his eyes and met Shang's own eyes with a calm stare.

"It is Mulan's choice. I have no say in it."

Shang nodded in acceptance. It seemed that Fa Zhou's opinion was shared by all at the table save him, though they were clearly unhappy about it.

Mulan looked apologetically towards her parents.

"I'm sorry Baba, Mama," She said, her voice soft, "If I am needed, I will do my duty."

The word was almost a slap in the face to Shang, who had been raised upon such principles. He mentally scolded himself for his selfishness. He wouldn't prevent Mulan from doing her duty any more than she would prevent him from doing his own. With new resolve, he decided that whatever happened, it would be for the best.

"The Emperor will wish to see you before we go."

Mulan turned to face Shang, schooling her features into a calm mask, sorrows forgotten. "When will we need to leave?" She inquired, business-like; emotionless.

"There is no hurry," Shang replied, "We can leave tomorrow if you wish."

Mulan nodded, silent, and then, rising, proceeded to help her mother and grandmother take the dishes back into the kitchen, leaving Shang alone at the table with her father once more. The old man was studying Shang quietly, looking, now, very much older than his years.

"Don't worry," Shang said, hoping to offer some words of consolation, "I'll take care of her."

"I trust you, General," Fa Zhou replied, "but I think my daughter is more than capable of caring for herself."

Shang smiled half-heartedly, knowing that in truth the man was paying him a compliment for training his daughter so well. Shang, however, was uncomfortable receiving the praise, wondering whether her success could really be attributed to his tutelage. He may have given her the basic knowledge she needed to become a soldier, but the Huns defeat was almost entirely due to her brilliant ideas and courage in the face of danger.

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Later that evening, Mulan was leading him to his room for the night, in the guest wing. She carried with her an armful of sheets to make a bed in one arm and a candle in the other, and he took with him the saddlebags from his horse. The corridor was dim, lit only by the candle flame which gave the hall a yellow glow, and gave their exposed skin a luminescent appearance. Mulan stopped before a door and clumsily tried to open it with her full hands, before turning to him with a sheepish smile. Wordlessly, Shang reached and opened the door, letting Mulan enter before him.

"I'm sorry about the room not being very tidy," Mulan apologised, as she busied herself putting the sheets on the bed, "but the roof over the other room has a leak. We had to move everything into this room to stop it from getting ruined during the storm we had last week." For a moment Shang was mildly surprised that Mulan was talking and acting so much like… well, a woman. His first impression of her had been that she wasn't concerned about these things as other women were, instead being something of a tomboy. Either way, Shang found that he didn't mind.

"The room is fine, Mulan," He reassured her, setting his saddlebags down on a chair by the door, "I have stayed in far, far worse, believe me."

"Oh yeah?" She asked playfully, turning around to flash a grin. "Like what?"

"The rooms at the Academy were pretty bad. When I was sixteen, I had to share a room with three other boys. None of them were very good at keeping tidy, and their ideas of personal hygiene were appalling." He told her, smiling in return.

"As bad as the men at Wu Zhong?"

"Worse." He chuckled.. "Much, much worse."

"There." Mulan announced, finishing the bed. "Done."

Shang voiced his thanks to her and she turned to leave in a swirl of skirts. Upon reaching the door, Mulan turned back to face Shang as he opened the windows to the room, closing the shutters behind them. Seeing her still stood in the room, Shang took a step closer, a frown of concern on his face.

"Are you nervous?" Mulan asked quietly. "About the war, I mean."

Shang sat down upon the end of the newly made bed, studying the grain of the wooden floor as though the answers were written there. Was he nervous? He hadn't really had the time to figure that out yet.

"I suppose I am." He replied at length. "Why? Are you?"

"Yes." She said honestly. Suddenly, she broke into a beaming smile. "But we beat the Huns, right? This should be nothing."

"This is something completely different, Mulan."

The door to the guest room opened, and in came Mulan's mother bearing a pitcher of water and a deep basin for washing. She set the objects down upon a table, spying her daughter in the doorframe.

"Ah, Mulan! There you are." Fa Li said, pulling a small vial of oil from a pocket and setting it down beside the water. "You need to rest before your journey. Come, leave Shang to his own." Before Mulan could reply, she was bustled out into the hallway, the door closed behind her, leaving Shang in the peace of the room.

Shang sat on the end of the bed for a long moment, mulling over the evening's events. He knew that Mulan was ready to put her life on the line doing what was right, but tradition niggled at the back of his mind. Women weren't meant for battle, though by no means did Shang believe that they should instead be confined to the home. It was Mulan's decision to join the army once more, and he would abide by it. Dismissing any further doubts, Shang unbuckled the leather armour binding his chest, grateful to be released from the confines of it. Taking a deep breath, he poured some water into the basin Fa Li had provided him with. Like she said, he would need his rest for the journey ahead.

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The morning of their departure was dreary with boiling clouds in the sky above Shang and the assembled Fa family, but as yet no rain had fallen. The family had spent much of their morning together in the temple praying to the ancestors, cherishing their last moments together for what could be a very long time. Now they stood solemnly in the courtyard of their home, facing each other across the stones.

Wind whipped Mulan's unbound hair into her face as she buckled her saddlebags to Khan, as though to hinder her preparations and convince her to stay in the safety of her home. Shang himself had made the necessary preparations for leaving earlier on, though his belongings were already packed. Now he watched Mulan say her farewells; it was a quiet affair, with very few words spoken between them, all necessary communication done through simple looks and gestures. When Mulan eventually turned away, Shang took a step forward and offered a bow to each of the people before him, before turning himself to mount his horse.

"Let's go." He said to Mulan, reigning his stallion around to face the open gate. She nodded, sitting tall in her armour atop her horse, and, throwing one last look back at her family, spurred Khan ahead. Shang's own horse followed in pursuit without any need of encouragement, and soon they were off down the trail through and out of the village.

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A/N: So, please leave a review, and let me know what you think. Also, I will be doing shout-outs to those people who do review, where I will answer questions if you have any. Thanks from the last chapter go to CluelessAngel, HayLin4, Canadarulz, pepeok, Niky13, FigureFreak, Roguefan212000, theITgirl and Mess531y.

icedragon6171

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Well! I hope you liked this chapter as well! She is a great writer indeed, isnt she??


	3. Chapter 3

DISCLAIMER: I've said it before and I repeat it! This DOES NOT belong to me! It belongs to **icedragon6171**, the greatest writer of all times, who doesn't use fanfiction anymore, because she's probably too busy publishing great books!

The link to review this chapter has already been posted on my profile!

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Disclaimer: I don't own any of the characters mentioned in this story. They are the rightful property of Disney.

A/N: Warning! This chapter will contain the first instance of violence, so if you were wondering why the rating was so high, you'll find out.

A/N: 14.08.06 - Modified version posted.

**Towards the Setting Sun**

Chapter 3

The sight of the rolling plains that greeted them upon departure from the village was like a breath of fresh air to Mulan, as Khan carried her away down the dusty road. In the five months that she had been home, she hadn't realised how much she had missed her short period of freedom, and now she revelled in it. Somewhere at the back of her mind was a lingering sorrow for having to leave her family behind, but the elation she found in galloping through the countryside kept it at bay.

It seemed as though Mulan's entire village had noticed her leaving despite the speed at which she passed through, and Mulan had despised the attention it brought to her. They were sure to have seen her bedecked in her armour, and no doubt per putting it about that she was a wayward girl once more, as they had done before the war, unfit for marriage. They didn't care whether her actions had justification, too wound up in tradition to see past the surface as they were. It wouldn't matter, anyway. Whatever injuries they wished to inflict her honour would be futile, as long as she was dubbed the heroine of China. Be that as it may, Mulan's mood was still dampened by the knowledge of the villagers' disdain, even if she was free of it at present.

Behind her, Shang gave a shout. Looking back over her shoulder, she saw that his horse was struggling to keep up with Khan's bigger stride, and so slowed her horse to a walk. Shang's stallion drew up beside Khan, close enough that the knees of the riders brushed past each other in a brief moment of contact. Shang seemed to ignore the touch, but drew his horse away slightly in response.

"We are in no hurry, Mulan." Shang said, "We can take our time if we wish."

"It isn't proper to keep the Emperor waiting." Mulan remarked.

"No, but he isn't expecting us for two days." Shang replied, "Had I not come so quickly, I wouldn't have arrived at your home until today, and so we would have taken longer anyway."

Mulan nodded, glad that now they would be able to spend some time alone for what seemed like the first time. Now, her previous anxiety over her departure seemed ever so much further away.

"I missed this." Mulan commented quietly, staring out into the distance. A long way away, almost on the horizon, she could see and end to the forbidding clouds that rolled above them, where they melted into a blue sky and bright sunshine.

"What?" Shang asked beside her, curiosity written clearly across his features.

"Travelling." Mulan answered hesitantly, her cheeks heating up; she hadn't meant for Shang to hear. She didn't want him to laugh at her, as though she were a simple village girl. To Mulan's immense relief, Shang smiled in understanding.

"I like to travel as well." He said. "I used to travel more when I was younger, but now I am lucky if I am able to do so."

Mulan smiled back, finding that she was becoming more relaxed in his company. He was amicable, and Mulan found her tongue loosening. This journey would be pleasant indeed.

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It became necessary to seek a suitable campsite once the sky began to darken with the onset of night. From the last rays of light the sun provided as it slipped inevitably below the distant rim of the horizon, an enclosed forest was visible, towards which Mulan and Shang decided to head. It would provide shelter at least, and food.

The scent of the forest was refreshing after the dust of the road, and the air was cool on Mulan's skin. Surrounded by the sounds of the forest, they walked through the lanes of trees, leading to a rough clearing somewhere in the centre of the wood. It was a raised hummock of earth with gently sloping sides and a flat top, upon which grew an old twisted tree. Dismounting, Mulan led Khan up to the top of the mound, and let him have his head to graze.

"What do you think?" She asked of Shang, who followed closely behind her. He was studying the area with trained eyes, and when he didn't find anything amiss, he nodded approval.

"We'll set our tents at the top of this hill." He said, while tying the reigns of his horse to a sturdy branch on the tree beside him. "But first, we need to scout the area."

Setting to the task, Mulan headed down the hill to the north, while Shang went the other way, knife in hand. For a moment as she walked through the undergrowth, Mulan wondered why Shang was being so cautious. While at home, Mulan had heard no news considering trouble in the region, and surely no thieves would dare do anything in such close proximity to the capital. On the other hand, Shang was a soldier, and exercising caution probably came as second nature to him.

The scout did prove fruitful in locating useful resources for the night, however. Not far from the clearing, Mulan stumbled - literally- across a trickle of a stream that ran through the undergrowth, earning herself a wet foot in the process. After finishing her surveillance of the area, Mulan headed back towards the clearing, gathering an armful of decent firewood as she went.

Shang hadn't yet returned to the clearing when Mulan arrived back, and so began to build a fire at the top of the hill. It wasn't long before she had a small flame before her, which soon rose to eat at the wood she fed it, growing in size until one could cook a decent meal above it, or, in her case, dry her shoes out by it.

Khan's snort snapped Mulan from her reverie as she sat mesmerised by the flames, notifying her of Shang's return. He strode up the hill to where she was and deposited a rabbit he had somehow managed to catch by the fire, going to retrieve his tent from his horse.

"So?" He enquired. He eyed the discarded shoe by the fire, but said nothing more.

"There is a stream not far from here, but it isn't very big; barely a trickle." She answered. "You can hardly see it at all…"

"Apparently so!" Shang laughed resonantly. It was really a very pleasant sound, Mulan found, except when directed at her.

"It's not funny!" She protested, rising to her feet and attempting to square up to him, although he towered head and shoulders above her, and possessed the broad shoulders of any man. Seeing she was beaten, she huffed angrily and stalked over to Khan and removed her own tent. Throwing a sharp glance in Shang's direction, she was only angered further when his laughter started anew.

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Shang had eventually apologised to Mulan, although she had seen the humour still glittering behind his eyes as he offered her some of the rabbit he had caught earlier. Now Mulan sat on the first watch, sitting at the edge of the clearing on a log she had dragged over, watching the line of trees with half-attentive eyes.. Behind her, at the top of the hummock, the horses dosed together, and Shang was inside his tent. Shivering, Mulan pulled her blanket closer about her shoulders.

The grass underfoot was soft and springy beneath Mulan's bare feet, and she enjoyed the feeling of it between her toes, letting it distract her from her duty. At Wu Zhong, Mulan had discovered that she was easily distracted while on watch, often to her misfortune, no matter how hard she tried to stay focussed. At present, had Mulan been paying attention to her surroundings, she may have heard the footsteps behind her.

Khan's angry whinny startled Mulan, and she whipped her head around to see what was happening, just in time to narrowly avoid a fatal blow to the back of her skull from a heavy branch wielded by her attacker behind her. Mulan hadn't moved far enough, though, and a piercing pain in her temple sent her crumpling to the ground, white spots dancing across her vision as she lay, dazed. Up at the top of the hill, she could barely make out the forms of three men struggling to control Shang's stallion and a rearing Khan.

"This one's a woman!" A rough voice exclaimed to Mulan's left.

Mulan tried to sit up, but found herself weak and dizzy, unable to move. Needles of pain lanced through her skull when she turned her head to face her attacker, who stood above her menacingly in the darkness of the night. The sounds of a scuffle reached Mulan's ears from somewhere above her, underneath the continuing whinnies of the horses as they strained against their captors.

"So it is." Another voice commented. A face loomed into view, the sudden movement making Mulan feel ill, as well as the foul smell that assaulted her nostrils. A calloused hand grabbed her chin roughly, eliciting a scared whimper from Mulan's lips. The new face broke into a sickening smirk, pleased. It was a face owned by a man whose countenance was marred by a multitude of scars, with leering eyes and a nose that looked as though it had been broken and then set at the wrong angle. It was a face that frightened her. Her blood turned to ice in her veins, freezing her.

"She's a pretty one." The voice to her left remarked, and a man with long, lank hair stepped into her line of sight. He had a ratty length of rope slung about his torso. Scarred-face nodded slowly, sneering down at Mulan's prone body in a way that made her feel sick. "She'll fetch a good price on the market, for sure."

"Bind her." Scarred-face ordered of Lank-hair, replacing the latter thug's hold on her shoulders so the rope could be unwound. She found herself flipped onto her back, and her wrists yanked together. Mulan's eyes widened as panic rose. Futilely, she tried once more to stand, even managing to get a foot beneath her, but Scarred-face grabbed her collar and dragged her back, pinning her with a knee between her shoulder blades. The stench rolled back, and Mulan fought the urge to retch, instead burying her face into the grass beneath her. The smell of cool earth filled her nostrils, and quieted her reeling stomach.

The next few moments passed so quickly, Mulan could barely follow them. On top of the hill, something must have happened, for Scarred-face's grip on her loosened for long enough for Mulan to twist and land a crippling kick to Lank-hair's crotch, causing him to keel over in agony. Next, Khan came thundering down the hill in aid of his mistress, rearing above the vulnerable head of Scarred-face. The thug threw himself away in an effort to escape the enraged horse, while Mulan lunged in the opposite direction, reaching for her forgotten sword, the world spinning nauseatingly around her. Though she did not see it, the sickening crunch that resounded throughout the clearing confirmed to Mulan that Khan's hooves had come down on the fragile human body of Scarred-face, and was shortly followed by a pained gasp. Fumbling with her sword, Mulan eventually managed to get a grip on the handle, and pulled the blade out of it's sheath, pointing the weapon at the throat of Lank-hair, who was only just recovering from her kick.

"Mulan!" Shang called, running down to where she swayed on her feet, still holding Lank-hair at sword point. His own sword was in his hand, dripping black in the darkness.

"Go." Mulan commanded of Lank-hair, her voice dangerous. The thief needed no encouragement, and immediately turned tail and ran, leaving his comrades without a second thought.

The danger gone, Mulan lowered the sword, letting it drop point first into the ground. She tried to turn to Shang, but stumbled, falling. Instinctively, Shang dropped his own sword and reached out to catch her. Mulan's head rolled limply, her vision blurred and spinning. Blood dripped into her eye from her temple, from where it oozed lazily. Shang, upon seeing the injury, didn't hesitate to scoop her up and hurry back to the dying fire, Khan following solemnly behind. He set her down beside the fire and piled tinder and firewood higher upon the hot embers, the flames soon leaping up to engulf them and throwing light out to illuminate the injury Mulan had received.

"Shang," Mulan insisted weakly, fighting to rise onto her elbows, "I'm fine, rea-… ah!" She winced at the contact of the cloth he had torn from his sash, and tried to shrink away from it.

"Stay still," he ordered her firmly, keeping a firm grip on her shoulder to stop her from wriggling. "You aren't okay until I say so." He pulled a water bag from somewhere behind him, and poured the liquid onto the cloth. Wiping once more at the blood on Mulan's temple, he revealed an angry welt caused by the branch that had struck her there; a glancing blow. Luckily, the damage was only minimal, and she would be fine.

Shang sat back on his haunches and scanned the rest of her for damage, but aside from the tear in the collar of her shirt, she appeared unharmed. He let out a sigh of relief, causing Mulan to turn her eyes to him and regard him in return. It would seem that he hadn't come out of the attack unharmed either, judging by the scratches on his arms and a swollen cheekbone, ready to bruise.

"So," she asked irritably of him, "will I live?"

"Yes," He replied, "but you'll have a headache for a few days, I'd expect."

Silence stretched between them, moods spoiled by the night's events.

"What happened?" Mulan inquired. It seemed to her that one moment she was watching the trees, and the next she was on the floor, being accosted by two rather unpleasant individuals. She risked a glance down the hill to where Scarred-face lay, unconscious. His legs were a mangled mess of blood and bone. The pain must have caused him to pass out. Mulan looked away quickly, feeling bile rise in the back of her throat.

"Bandits." Shang said, "There were five, I think. I heard Khan and came out to find three of them trying to steal the horses. The other two must have crept up behind you while you were on watch." Thankfully, he didn't ask why she hadn't heard them. She didn't want to tell him that some grass had distracted her.

"They were going to take me prisoner," Mulan began, unsteadily, "They wanted to sell me…" She trailed off, annoyed at her own stupidity and helplessness. Had it been six months earlier, she wouldn't have had a problem. The night's events only brought her lack of practice to light, and it was something she needed to rectify if she was going to be of any use to Shang.

"I know." Shang replied. His eyes were trained guiltily on the ground, the trees – anywhere but her. He seemed annoyed that he had not been able to help her. She had to rely on her _horse _to do that.

"Listen," he said, voice soft. "You should rest as much as you can tonight before we leave. We still have a long way to go." He was speaking to her as though he were soothing a frightened child. The thought caused Mulan to scowl. She wasn't a child and didn't want to be treated that way, but was too tired too argue. Despite her fatigue, Mulan doubted she would get much sleep at all.

-----

It wasn't until late in the evening the next day that they arrived finally at the Imperial city, cresting a hill to see it sprawled out across the plain before them. The sight was gladdening to Mulan, weary as she was, with aches all over her body and throbbing through her head. The thought of a proper bed and a good hot bath made her eager to be there as soon as possible, and so she spurred Khan forward into a run. Shang rode beside her, quiet as he had been for much of the day, the look in his eyes making him appear as eager as she, and before long they were passing under the great gate into the city.

The city didn't strike her with the same sense of awe she had felt upon her first visit, but with the sun setting on the horizon, setting the sky on fire, the city still had a spellbinding effect upon her as a village girl, unused to the grandeur of the big city as she was. It didn't have quite the same effect upon Shang, however, although it did appear as though he sat taller in his saddle, the very picture of a General of the Imperial Army.

Soldiers stopped them momentarily as the two of them approached the gate to the palace, but they waved them through upon seeing Shang atop his Imperial stallion. Their horses were taken from them, and after a short wait in the shadow of the palace a pair of servants met them and them conducted them inside.

"We aren't going to the Emperor?" Shang asked in confusion, as they were taken down one of the multitude of corridors of the palace. Mulan herself would not have know which way went where, or to who. She trusted that Shang knew his way around, having had to spend some time here recently.

"No, General," One servant replied, bowing once more, "He is busy in council with his advisors currently. He will see you tomorrow, and has asked that you be adequately rested before your meeting tomorrow."

"In that case," Shang said, "I will go to my own chambers."

The servant bowed once more and headed down a hallway branching off of the one they currently stood in, stopping to wait for Shang to turn and follow him. Shang turned first to Mulan, hesitating. His hand twitched, as though he wished to reach out to her, but remained by his side.

"Goodnight." He finally said to her quietly, and turned to follow the servant, his gaze lingering, it seemed, on her.

_That's just wishful thinking, Mulan. Shang doesn't think of me that way anyway._

Disappointed, she settled her eyes on the small serving woman who stood beside her. The woman motioned for her to follow, which Mulan did, wondering how she was ever going to remember her way in this labyrinth of hallways. Eventually, they came upon a pair of wooden doors, carved in beautifully intricate designs as most of the palace seemed to be. Mulan hope she didn't appear as though she were gaping at every thing she passed, and tried to covertly admire the craftsmanship of her surroundings without anyone noticing.

The room she was shown into was unlike anything Mulan had ever seen, and this time she couldn't prevent the gawping expression that settled upon her features. The serving woman tugged Mulan into the inner chamber and immediately began to strip her of her armour. Before she knew it, she was immersed in the hot water of a bath, being scrubbed of the dirt of the road. The bath was one of the most pleasant Mulan had had in a long time. She could feel the tense muscles down her back and legs loosen, and the warmth seeped very pleasantly into her skin. Once the bath was over, Mulan was bundled into a loose gown and sat down in front of the mirror, the serving woman quickly passing a comb through her short hair. That done, the servant bowed and left, closing the doors behind her.

Mulan, now alone in the giant room, felt grossly out of place, and didn't have a clue as to what to do with herself next. She looked behind her at the giant bed which dominated the room, wondering whether she should just go to bed, or maybe ask a servant to fetch her saddlebags. She could even ask to be taken to Shang. Mulan blushed fiercely. At this time of night? What would people think of her if they saw her - an unmarried woman - going to Shang's chamber? She dismissed the idea quickly, deciding that the safest thing to do was to try and get as much sleep as she possibly could, although she doubted that would be much. Resignedly, Mulan crawled beneath the silken coverlet and laid her head down to rest, wondering faintly why the Emperor would want to see her. Closing her eyes, she willed sleep to come to her.

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A/N: Another chapter done! Please leave a review and tell me what you think.

Thanks to:

CluelessAngel

Roguefan212000

Dragon Spirit Fighter – Yeah, I enjoy historically accurate writing as well, because it has some relevance to the world. However, as I said, this story won't be 100 accurate mainly because it doesn't quite fit with the plot I've got planned, but the basic elements are there. Read below if you want to know the history behind this fic!

RhysGirl – I haven't heard of that book actually, but I'm glad to hear you're enjoying my work. Thanks!

Angel452 – I'm glad you're so curious about this piece, and I will try to answer as best I can, though I will have to give a certain amount of background about it as well. I apologise for the History lesson!

During the Sui dynasty, a deal was struck between the Chinese and the Turks, so that the Chinese received horses in exchange for silks. This proved to be an uneven trade, as the Turks could sell the silks for large amounts of money, and so became very rich. However, the arrangement wouldn't last for much longer.

Around 580 AD, the Turkish Empire had some succession disputes and eventually split into two; The Eastern Turks centred in Mongolia, and the Western Turks centred on the Ili river and western Turkestan. After initial raids into Chinese territory, they submitted to China, and a princess was sent to marry the leader (or khagan), in return for aid against China's enemies. Unfortunately, when the Sui Emperor attempted an invasion of Korea, the Turks refused help and the campaign ended in disaster, followed shortly by the collapse of the dynasty.

It wasn't until the Tang dynasty was established that the Turks chose to take action. They raided deep into Chinese territory, and as a result, the Chinese Emperor was forced to appease them with lavish gifts and trade privileges. It wasn't until the reign of Taizong that this changed, and after a long struggle, almost all of the Eastern Turkic tribes went over to the Chinese.

Now, with the Eastern Turks on their side, the Chinese expanded their borders west, and, inevitably, came into contact with the Western Turks.

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This chapter was also great eh!? And she also gives historical information!!! this story is definitely the best of best! I hope I'll be able to keep up the good work when I start to write (ch 14)!!!


	4. Chapter 4

DISCLAIMER: nope, this chapter is not mine either!! It's the rightful property of **icedragon6171**!!!

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Disclaimer: I don't own any of the characters mentioned in this story. They are the rightful property of Disney.

**Towards the Setting Sun**

Chapter 4

Mulan was awakened abruptly the next morning by the serving women opening the shutters and letting bright sunlight stream into the room. The light pierced through Mulan's weary eyelids and immediately banished any sleep left in her. Groaning, Mulan tried to turn away from the light, but her eyes shot open when one of the servants pushed her towards the edge of the bed, and with no respite she was hauled up and thrust into a fine silken gown - finer than any Mulan owned - and shoved into the seat before the mirror once again.

"You're going to be late for your meeting with the Emperor, madam." The serving woman beside her said with a trace of disdain, picking up one of the many brushes before her and dabbing it into a pot of powder. Grimacing, Mulan fended of the brush as it approached her face. The serving woman frowned and pursed her lips angrily, trying to put the powder on once more.

"No." Mulan insisted. The woman stood back, looking unimpressed, as Mulan scrabbled for an excuse. "If I am late, we had better not waste time with make-up." The woman sighed tersely, but put down the brush, and instead passed a comb through Mulan's hair quickly and bustled her out of the room.

The network of corridors they passed through on their way left Mulan wondering once more how anyone could manage to navigate the palace without getting lost, each one looking identical to the next. Mulan had to pick up her skirts in order to keep up with the breakneck pace the serving woman was moving at, scared of getting left behind. Surely if she was she would never find her way back.

Eventually, they came upon a giant door, outside of which Shang stood, dressed in the fine armour of a General and looking majestic in his finery. Unfortunately, the bruise blossoming anew on his cheek blemished the appearance, though he looked no less regal for it. He smiled at her briefly when she arrived, wincing when the action but pressure upon his bruised cheek. The serving woman opened the door by a fraction and slipped inside, no doubt to announce them to the Emperor.

"Sleep well?" Shang asked Mulan kindly, studying her closely. Mulan nodded her response, and was about to speak when the doors before them opened.

The throne room was huge, bright and spacious and even more extravagantly decorated than anything else in the entire palace. Mulan took a sharp intake of breath, awed by the grandeur and beauty of it. Beside her, Shang took a step forward, his red cape following liquidly behind him, striding up the long golden carpet leading the foot of the Emperor's throne. Mulan, snapping out of her daydream, hurried to follow the General, almost, embarrassingly, tripping over the long skirts of her dress.

The Emperor himself was sat at the top of a raised dais, flanked on either side by two imperial guards, resplendent in their armour and wielding great poleaxes. Rising to his feet, the Emperor descended the stairs serenely from his throne towards the two of them, smiling beneath his long beard. Reaching the base of the dais, Shang bowed deeply to the Emperor, and Mulan, not knowing what else to do, mirrored him.

"Welcome, Fa Mulan, Li Shang," the Emperor said, stopping a few feet before them. "I thank you for arriving in such good time."

"We would not keep the Emperor waiting." Shang said smoothly, adopting the calm appearance of the refined courtier.

The Emperor's expression turned from one of welcome to displeasure, a frown marring his usually calm features. "And what is this?" The Emperor asked, his eyes on the bruise on Shang's cheek. "What happened?"

"We encountered some trouble on our way. Bandits tried to steal our horses." Shang replied coolly, enduring the Emperor's scrutiny. "It is nothing."

"Very well." The Emperor drew back a step or two, then turned to signal to a servant, barely a man, who ran swiftly from the room. The silent exchange left Mulan curious as to what was happening.

"I trust you have been informed of the situation, Fa Mulan?" The Emperor's gaze swept over her, and Mulan had to resist the urge to fidget.

"I have, your Majesty," she replied, eyes lowered. "And I am willing to do what is required of me." For a moment, Mulan could have sworn she heard a short sigh coming from Shang, but dismissed it.

The Emperor smiled graciously at her, but his eyes moved to the door behind her, where a commotion alerted her to the return of the servant. Mulan half turned to get a better look – careful not to turn her back on the Emperor – and saw a group of servants, headed by the one who had left, enter through the great doors she herself had come through not a moment ago. The young servant carried with him an oversized bundle, carefully wrapped in a golden cloth, and behind him a pair of servants carried in a large wooden table with a high top, a final man following with a large scroll. The table was set between them and the Emperor, and the scroll placed upon its surface. The serving boy carrying the bundle stood behind the old ruler, shifting the package in his arms in apparent discomfort. Whatever it was, it looked heavy.

"This," The Emperor said, laying his hands upon the scroll, "is a map of the Middle Kingdom." In a practiced motion, the map was rolled out onto the table top. Mulan, looking upon it, heard a small gasp and then realized that it had in fact emanated from her own mouth. The map before her was a thing of beauty, infinitely detailed and masterfully created, and she felt honoured to be able to gaze upon it. Her hands itched to touch it, but she kept them by her sides, fearing it might be discourteous to do so. Beside her, Mulan could feel the weight of Shang's amused gaze.

The Emperor ran his hands across the map reverentially, before finally indicating an area to the far west.

"It is here where the problem lies, on our western border. Beyond is the land ruled by the Western Turks." He removed his hand from the maps surface, moving instead to stroke his beard worriedly. "Our spies have received information that the Khagan, their leader, has sent the war summons throughout the tribes. They plan an attack on the western territory."

Mulan studied the map spread before her, letting the information sink in.

"What would you have us do, Your Excellency?" Shang inquired. He didn't appear even the slightest bit fazed by the news they had just been told, and stood tall and proud. Had Mulan been any normal village girl, she might have swooned at the sight of him.

"There is a city near the border named Kashgar. It is a trading city on the Silk Road heading towards India, and houses an Imperial garrison in the fortress there." He paused, measuring each of them with his eyes. "I would have you travel there, and oversee the construction and training of an army."

Mulan frowned, confused as to her part in all of this. Anger sparked in the pit of her stomach. Was she to be taken merely as a good luck charm on this campaign? Did they think that perhaps some of the good luck from her encounter with the Huns would rub off on them? Or, worse, was she to be taken along merely as… _entertainment_… for the soldiers so far from home? Mulan blanched, a shiver running cold fingers down the length of her spine.

The Emperor, looking upon her frown, seemed to understand her thoughts, and, signalling to the servant-boy, turned to her. "I would wish it that you accompany the army westward, Mulan," he said. Taking the bundle from the servant, he offered it to her, "as a captain of the Imperial Army."

Dumbstruck, Mulan accepted the bundle, feeling it's weight in her arms. Surely the Emperor was jesting?

"Captain?" Mulan whispered, her voice shaking. She stared, dazed, at the bundle in her arms, almost dreading to unwrap it.

"There are none more suited to it than China's very own heroine," the Emperor said, smiling widely at her as she stood there before him, watching with a fatherly gaze as she continued to hesitate. "Go on, open it." He urged her, gesturing fluidly with one hand.

Shifting the weight of the bundle so that she may free one hand to open it, Mulan reached with shaking fingers towards the knot which held the cloth together, finding it easy to undo. The golden material fell away to reveal a fine set of armour, not dissimilar that which Shang had worn at Wu Zhong, on top of which was a finely crafted sword in a fine scabbard and a thick scarlet cape, as all officials in the Imperial Army wore. Speechless, Mulan bowed to the Emperor, clutching her gifts to her chest.

"You may also visit the Palace Armoury if you wish, and select a bow and quiver to take with you," He paused, gauging her reaction, and continued. "The Turks are master bowmen. It is time their own weapons are used against them."

Mulan had to consciously prevent herself from letting her mouth hang open from the gifts the Emperor was showering upon her.

_Do I really deserve this? _She asked herself, _I merely did what anyone would do for their country. I'm not so special. _Looking at Shang, she wondered what he thought of it. He too was looking at her, a wide smile on his face, eyes glinting with something that looked like pride. It was apparent he thought she deserved it, too.

"Now you needn't wear your father's armour." He said. Mulan narrowed her eyes, scrutinising him. Had he taken part in this?

"In light of your promotion, Captain Fa," The Emperor announced to them, interrupting Mulan's train of thought, "a banquet is being thrown in your honour this evening."

Mulan bowed deeply once more, finding the power of speech returning to her. "Your Majesty is too kind."

"You must seek to enjoy it, for at first light tomorrow you must begin your journey west." The Emperor gave each of them a small bow, and began to ascend the steps to his throne – their signal that they may leave. Their audience over, Shang ushered Mulan ahead of him, and out into the hall once more.

-----

A mere half-hour after their meeting with the Emperor, Mulan found herself walking through the Palace with Shang. She had already deposited her new Captain's regalia in her room, and was at this very moment following Shang to the armoury which was located at the far western corner of the administrative centre. Once more, Mulan found herself hopelessly lost, though Shang strode with purpose. Mulan wondered how it was possible to remember one's way in the palace, which, alone, must have been twice the size of Mulan's village.

It wasn't long until the armoury rose up before them, a building of simple grey stone, hanging the Imperial banners from it's walls. Surrounded by the extravagance of the palace, it looked somewhat out of place; graceless and without majesty. However, such things weren't necessary for a military building, which was meant only to serve its purpose and nothing else. Inside the armoury, soldiers milled about, tending to all kinds of weapons, some of which Mulan had never laid eyes upon. Her entrance caused many heads to turn, clad as she was in the dress from earlier, and Mulan felt uncomfortable suddenly being the centre of attention. Luckily, Shang dismissed their looks with an imperious wave of his hand, and soon the soldiers turned back to their respective tasks.

"This way." Shang directed her, turning a corner and ascending a flight of stairs. Mulan followed quietly, hiding her face from view. Already she could hear the whispers behind her.

Before long Mulan found herself before a door, plain and undecorated as everything in the building. Shang stood next to her by the doorway, and signalled for her to open the door herself. Doing so, she emerged into a room brimming with every type of bow imaginable, hanging from pegs along each wall and lined up in racks in the middle of the room. At the back, a large man bent over a bow, stretching it back and pulling the string into the notch at the bow tip. Standing, he tested the string, pulling it back and then letting it whip forward.

"Guan Baihu," Shang called to the man, slipping around Mulan where she stood in the doorway, "this is Fa Mulan. The Emperor has requested a bow for her, if you will." Guan Baihu looked to Mulan with one gleaming eye, the other sealed closed by an ugly scar. He was a large man, towering even above Shang, with immense shoulders, developed from working with bows for so long, no doubt. He nodded a greeting, but otherwise stayed silent, sweeping a hand across the room as though to say she was welcome to look.

Mulan began her search in the bow rack closest to her, though she wasn't entirely sure of what it was she wanted. Shang watched over her shoulder, occasionally giving advice on the bows, but let her choose. Coming upon a rack full of very tall bows, Mulan almost walked straight past it, knowing that she would never be able to draw a bow so large. Just as she was about to look at the bows strung along the walls, a gleam of something caught her eye, half-obscured by the bows around it. Reaching down, she pulled it out, discovering it was a small bow of odd appearance. Unlike many of the bows in the room, it looked to be bent backwards, so that it almost made a complete circle. She held it up, throwing a questioning glance at Shang, who took it from her and inspected it himself.

"It's a horse bow, if I'm not mistaken. Scythian?" He questioned Guan Baihu. He nodded, still silent. "String it." Shang ordered, handing the bow to the giant man. After picking a rawhide string from a basket beside him, the bow master braced one end of the strange bow beneath his left thigh, grunting as he bent the bow back on itself, and, after much straining, managed to slip the string into it's notch. Satisfied, he handed it back to Mulan.

The bow had practically transformed from the thing Mulan had first picked up. Now, she looked upon it with something akin to wonder. The bow itself was made from layers of dark wood and horn glued together, then smoothed down to a lustrous polish. The bow was painted along the inside, and at each tip shone a silver cap in which the string was held. Holding it up, she pulled the string back, and although it was somewhat difficult, she could feel that it was powerful nonetheless.

"The Turks use bows such as these," Shang commented. "As they ride into battle, they fire arrows among the enemy, and pick them off before drawing their swords."

"I would have no problem then." Mulan said, remembering the Emperor's words. If she could use a bow from horseback, it would reduce the Turk's advantage over them. Mulan was glad that she had found a weapon more suited to her than a sword, knowing that she lacked the strength of other men and could be easily overpowered in close combat. This way she could make the best of her abilities.

"Exactly." He replied. "So, what do you think?"

"It's perfect." She said, running her hands over the bow's smooth surface.

Shang nodded, smiling approval, and picked a quiver of arrows from a hook. Saying his thanks to the Guan Baihu, they left the room and returned back the way they came.

Once back outside, they began their walk back towards the castle, Mulan towing her new equipment with her.

"The man back there - Guan Baihu – he wasn't very talkative, was he?" Mulan ventured, breaking the silence between them. It felt as though they were nothing more than Captain and recruit once more, and with all this talk of war, Shang was becoming ever more reclusive. However, instead of answering straight away, Shang stopped dead in his tracks, turning to fix Mulan with an incredulous look. Wondering what she had done, Mulan returned a confused look.

"What?"

Shang continued to stare, looking at one point as though he were about to walk off and not answer her question. Finally, Shang took a deep breath. "Mulan," he said, slowly in an almost condescending manner, "How could you not have noticed?"

Mulan could feel her anger stirring. "Notice what?" She asked irritably.

"Guan Biahu is mute."

Fire exploded in Mulan's cheeks, and distantly she hoped it would consume her so that she wouldn't feel so foolish. Letting out a weak 'Oh,' she hung her head in embarrassment. Why did she have to be so stupid when she was with Shang? Perhaps her ancestors were playing some sort of trick on her. Shang's deep chuckle beside her didn't help things much, but rather than meet his eyes Mulan instead put one foot in front of the other and continued her walk, trying to ignore Shang's laughter as he followed her back to the Palace.

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A/N: Well, there's another chapter for you. Hope everyone enjoyed it and will be kind enough to leave a review, as always.

Shout-outs! Thanks to:

**CluelessAngel**, **Canadarulz**, **Rhysgirl**

**Roguefan212000 **- I'm hoping to make the relationship between Mulan and Shang develop slowly, rather than have it blatantly obvious at the start, seeing as love doesn't work that way. Do you see what I mean?

**maruthefairu** - It's nice to see someone new reviewing my work! Glad you like it. As for the war, that's coming _much _later, but it's gonna be big (I hope).

**Angel452** – I think most of your questions have hopefully been answered by this chapter. Ling, Yao and Chien-Po probably won't be appearing in this story I'm afraid, as I'm not sure I really would be able to portray them accurately, or, in fact, adequately. However, I may change my mind, but even then it's unlikely that they would appear all together. As for Shang and Mulan admitting their feelings, I answered that in the last chapter's shout-outs.

**theITgirl** – Mushu won't be appearing either, for the same reasons, really. Besides which, Mushu is a character which pretty much requires the author to be able to write humour – which I can't – and, in my eyes, tends to appear in less serious stories, whereas I am opting for a serious tone.

About Mulan being moody, I suppose she was a bit, even though I didn't intend for her to be so, really. Let's just put it down to her having a bad day :) .

Thanks again!

icedragon6171

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Another great chapter, don't you think??=) Look for the link on my profile if you want to leave a review to the original author of this fic!!


	5. Chapter 5

DISCLAIMER: this chapter doesn't belong to me either, it belongs to **icedragon6171**!!

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Disclaimer: I don't own any of the characters mentioned in this story. They are the rightful property of Disney.

**Towards the Setting Sun**

Chapter 5

_What is taking her so long? _Li Shang thought to himself as he paced outside the door to Mulan's guest room. In a scant few minutes the banquet in her honour was to begin, and he hadn't seen so much as a trace of her yet. _I don't take so long to get ready…_

For what must have been the hundredth time since he arrived outside Mulan's door, Shang looked over his own attire to check he had, indeed, taken everything he needed with him and that he looked presentable. This evening he wore a high-collared dark blue robe in silk, worked with painstaking intricacy around the sleeves and hem in red and gold thread and belted around the middle with a scarlet red sash. The clothes were stiff and restrictive and, as used to wearing armour as Shang was, made him feel uncomfortably vulnerable.

Conscious of the time slipping by while he stood waiting, Shang was almost ready to barge into the room and demand they leave now, and he would have done so if not for decency's sake. But, he reasoned, it wasn't unseemly to knock, and so rose his hand to knock upon the lacquered wood. The door opened just as his knuckles were about to come down upon the wood with some force, and, had he not noticed at the last minute, rap upon Mulan's forehead. She moved into the doorway in order to exit the room, yet he didn't lower his arm, suddenly captivated by the visage which stood before him. She wore a striking dress made of red silk, painted with a floral design in gold paint, with long trailing sleeves, beneath which was a plain white gown which draped down to the floor in rippling folds.

Shang had not yet seen Mulan in make-up, and the sight of it pulled a chord in his chest. He had never really thought Mulan as beautiful, so used to Mulan the soldier and Mulan the village girl was he, and now it dawned on him that she was perhaps the loveliest girl he had ever set eyes upon. The white powder upon her face did well to hide her sun-darkened skin and conceal the injury on her temple, the doll-like features further accentuated by the light cover of blusher on her cheeks and light purple eye shadow. Her hair had been pulled up into a simple yet elegant style, though it was still short, and framed her face, contrasting to the white powder. However, it was her rouged lips that caught Shang's attention most. She was pouting slightly in confusion at his inactivity, which drew her lips together in the most enticing fashion…

"Are you okay, Shang?" Mulan asked upon seeing that Shang had no intention of moving himself, eyeing his raised arm. He jumped at the question, his cheeks flushing as red as the rouge on her lips, and tried to fumble an excuse, though it would do him no good. Thankfully, she spared him the torture, smiling prettily at him and stepping out into the hall. Keeping his mouth shut for fear of embarrassing himself further, he led the way towards the banquet hall, Mulan following serenely behind him.

The banquet hall had been decorated extravagantly for the occasion, and filled from wall to wall with long tables. At the far end of the room, the Emperor sat on his throne, and already guests were milling about before him, talking to one another in small groups or sat at the tables. Upon their arrival a servant in clean cut robes announced them to the entire room. Dozens of heads turned all at once, inspecting the two of them, and although he wasn't looking he knew that Mulan had physically shrunk back under their collective gaze.

Shang discovered with pleasant surprise that for the evening the two of them had been given the honour of sitting at the Emperor's table. As was fitting for a banquet such as this, the guest of honour was sat at the Emperor's right hand, and Mulan accepted the honour with good grace, exchanging pleasantries with him as she sat. No sooner than she had done so did a servant ring the giant gong calling those in attendance to their seats, the hall erupting into sudden motion. Shang found himself being pushed into a seat beside Mulan, while palace officials and nobles took their places down the length of the table, all fussing fastidiously over their clothes, and glancing, he noticed, with barely concealed distaste to where he and Mulan sat in places of honour. Mulan shifted uncomfortably beside him, silk dress rustling. It wasn't hard to guess at their thoughts towards Mulan, and it was clear that they even begrudged _him _his place at the high table, as all other military personnel were seated on one of the other tables.

Atop the dais, the Emperor rose from his throne, raising a full cup of wine, and silence descended upon those assembled like a blanket, attention turning to their ruler.

"My children," He began, his voice, though it wasn't loud, carrying to the far corners of the hall. "I thank you for coming to attend at this great occasion." A murmur washed across the room, quieted once more by a simple gesture from the Emperor. "This evening is held in honour of Fa Mulan, Captain of the Imperial Army and protector of the Middle Kingdom." He raised his cup in toast and smiled in a fatherly manner at Mulan, and announced, "May she bring us many victories!"

Across from them, at the table dedicated to military officials, a tentative applause began, spreading quickly to all corners of the hall. The Emperor bade Mulan rise, and slowly she did so, taking a bow to those before her, though the nobles in particular looked sour at the attention she was being given. Then, without further delay an army of servants streamed into the hall, bearing upon their shoulders huge steaming dishes of food of every imaginable variety, and so the banquet began, all bitterness forgotten, at least for the time being.

The evening passed swiftly and without incident, and as the wine flowed more, even the bitterest of nobles attempted polite conversation with their heroine. Shang was proud of her, silently congratulating her on her conduct, even though she clearly disliked the nobles as much as they did her. It wasn't until very late in the evening that the banquet drew to a close, each guest making their own respective ways to their beds with full stomachs. Shang offered to escort Mulan back to her room, though the wine had consumed fogged him memory of the way. Luckily, he managed to find his way there without much trouble, thanking his ancestors for their help.

Standing before her door, they faced each other in the dim light offered by the lamps on the walls. The glow made Mulan appear even more beautiful than before, though Shang couldn't tell to what degree that thought was affected by his current, inebriated, state.

"Goodnight, Shang." Mulan bade him, hand reaching to the door handle, but before her fingers touched the polished metal Shang's hand had suddenly found itself on the fine silk that clothed her shoulder. Slightly surprised at his audacity and lack of control, he withdrew his hand as though he had been bitten, subconsciously aware of the boundaries of society. Too late did he realise his action had elicited a look of confusion and hurt from Mulan.

"Wait." Shang pleaded, hoping to somehow amend his mistake.

Mulan withdrew her hand from where it was reaching towards the door handle and turned back to face Shang, crossing her arms across her chest; guarded. Silent, she waited for him to continue.

"Mulan…I-," He stuttered, wondering why he always found this so hard. Why did Mulan have this effect on him? "You…" He hesitated, not knowing what to say, despite his apparent forwardness. Unfortunately, that hesitation lost him his chance even as the words formed themselves in his mind, as the maid appointed to Mulan's care appeared around the corner and fussed over the younger woman. All Shang could do was watch hopelessly as she was bustled into the room, barely managing to catch his eyes over her shoulder. Resigned, he heaved a long sigh.

"You look beautiful."

-----

The dawn of the morning of their departure was pleasant, the sky flushed a pale pink with the rising sun as the night was banished from the heavens above them, portending a warm day on the road for Shang and Mulan. They were to be accompanied by thirty hand-picked soldiers from the Imperial Guard, all of which had been trained by Shang, and who he felt he could trust with his life if it came to that. Even so, Shang still felt a niggling sense of regret that he wasn't to spend more time alone in Mulan's company, but the two-and-a-half month journey westward was going to be dangerous, and the two of them alone would have little hope of survival.

Mulan herself was being quiet this morning, probably as a result of the banquet the night before which had been overwhelming to say the least. No doubt Mulan had seen the reactions of the nobles to her ascension to rank, and was now debating the wisdom in going to war once more. Shang, slightly concerned as well, made it his duty to keep an eye on her even as they readied themselves for departure, beginning to feel the burden that her presence had placed upon his shoulders. He was adamant, however, that no harm was to come to her while he still lived.

"Everything's packed, sir." One of the soldiers informed, glancing curiously to where Mulan was buckling the last of her bags to Khan's saddle. She was wearing the Captain's armour given to her, and indeed looked an odd sight with her hair unbound and hanging about her face. Shang turned his eyes back to the soldier before him, realising that he was waiting for some sort of reply. Shang ducked his chin and turned to the other men who stood attentive by the sides of their own horses.

"Let's move." He said, mounting his own stallion in one swift motion. Mulan appeared beside him no sooner than the words had left his mouth, sitting straight and regal on top of Khan's back, and behind them the soldiers followed in three orderly columns, settling into an easy pace and falling into quiet conversation with their comrades. Next to Shang Mulan kept her silence, looking lost in her own thoughts.

It wasn't until the hot afternoon sun beat directly overhead that they stopped for a rest and to water the horses, after almost six hours in the saddle. Shang was glad for the shade provided by the outcropping of trees they had chosen for their resting place as he led his horse to a small pool, the others following suit. The heat had been slightly too much for Shang, dressed in armour as he was, and it hadn't taken long for him to feel more than uncomfortable. From the looks on the faces of those around him, it would seem he wasn't the only one to have had so much trouble.

Shang walked to where Mulan stood beside the pool, leaving his stallion to have its head. She had been silent for the entire morning, which with any other person Shang would have been relieved of, but it caused him to feel concerned with her. At his back, Shang could feel the soldiers' stares.

"Are you alright?" Shang asked her. She started up at his question, but relaxed when her eyes settled upon him.

"I'm fine." Mulan replied quietly. Nodding, Shang stood beside her and turned to survey the soldiers, who hastily found something interesting to look at, or merely pretended not to be looking, and folded his arms across his chest. One soldier, a lean man with fine features and a small, neatly trimmed beard, was studying Mulan closely, though he was trying to hide his face behind his horse's saddle. Shang frowned but otherwise ignored the man. Perhaps he would have a word with him later.

"Do they make you nervous?" Shang guessed, throwing a sidelong glance down at her. She turned her face from him to Khan's flank, and absentmindedly stroked the horses glossy black coat.

"It's just strange, that's all…" Mulan ventured after a moment. "Everyone knows I am a woman now. I can hear them whispering…" She trailed off once more, and Khan, now finished at the poolside, nudged at Mulan with his great head, almost knocking her over.

"They will come to respect you," _As I do, more than you know…_ "You don't need to worry."

Mulan studied him for a moment, and Shang began to fear that he may have spoken his thoughts aloud and made a fool of himself again. However, instead of laughing as he was thinking she might, she smiled gratefully and mounted Khan once again. Seeing this, the soldiers hurried to their horses to follow their Captain, and Shang was pleased that they weren't stupid enough to ignore her new authority over them, even if she was a woman.

The dusty road stretched ahead of them as they set out once more, dry from days of hot sun and travellers passing over its surface. Once more the soldiers rode in three columns behind them, Mulan and Shang at their head, but before long the sound of hoof beats quickening at their backs alerted General and Captain to one of the soldiers riding forward to them. Turning in his saddle, Shang watched as the same lean man from earlier rode up the length of the line to stop beside Mulan, matching his horse's pace to Khan's. The man's eyes were fixed on Mulan in a way which Shang found… irritating, for some reason.

"Yes?" Shang asked, voice clipped and authoritative. The man glanced at him for a moment, suddenly nervous, but returned his eyes to Mulan. Shang, annoyed at the man's apparent dismissal of his superior, opened his mouth to reprimand him, but was waved of by Mulan. Shutting his mouth, Shang decided to listen to what this man had to say with clenched teeth. Distantly, he recognised the man as one of the least troublesome of the motley group he had trained back at the palace, and wondered what he was doing that caused him to disrespect his commanding officer.

"What is it?" Mulan inquired of the man, far more compassionately that Shang. The man looked momentarily confused.

"Mu- I mean, Captain Fa," the man stumbled, quickly correcting himself when he felt Shang's glare. "Don't you remember me?"

-----

A/N: So, who is this mystery man? I'm sorry, but I had to put a little cliff hanger in there, but you can find out who it is in the next chapter!

Shout-Outs!

**theITgirl **- I hadn't thought of using the idea of horse archery being likeinLord of the Rings, actually, but it does come to mind. One of the main reasons I was doing it was because no-one else has done much like it (to my knowledge). Thanks anyway!

**CluelessAngel - **I wish I could write that many chapters in such a short time! Thanks for your support.

**Angel452 - **I hadn't considered Mulan going back to her home mainly because in the story only a few days have passed, and so it's slightly pointless. Thank you for your review! It's nice to have someone so inquisitive reading my stories.

Please drop a review if you feel so inclined. It would make me immensely happy if you do :)

* * *

And yet another great chapter!!!


	6. Chapter 6

DISCLAIMER: this chapter doesn't belong to me! It belongs to** icedragon6171**! Luo Jin also belongs to her!!! not to me!!

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Disclaimer: All characters in this story are the rightful property of Disney, except for Luo Jin, who belongs to me :)

**Towards the Setting Sun**

Chapter 6

"Don't you remember me?"

The words struck Mulan with a momentary sense of confusion. The man who rode at her side was a complete stranger to her… or was he? He did look oddly familiar, but her mind struggled through the fog that had settled there to put a name to his face. Mulan studied his features while she tried to identify him, taking in the fine lines of his face; a straight, thin nose between two large eyes, the irises so intense a brown they were almost black, a slender jaw line and finely clipped beard… a youthful face from years past swam to the surface of Mulan's mind, and realization dawned upon her.

"Jin…? Jin, is that you?" Mulan asked, her voice laced with excitement and wonder, thanking her ancestors for delivering her childhood friend as company on this long journey. Laughing with happiness, she clasped Jin's proffered arm in greeting, releasing it as she sensed Shang's displeasure by her side. The General had adopted a mask of stone and disapproval was clear in his gaze, incited by the improper way in which Mulan and Jin had greeted each other, unbecoming of an unmarried woman and man.

"This is Luo Jin," Mulan announced to Shang, hoping to alleviate the awkwardness that was slowly descending upon them, "he comes from my village." Shang merely nodded and turned to face the road before them, but his displeasure did seem to recede a little.

"We've met. General Li trained me to be one of the Palace Guards, two months ago." Jin told Mulan, inspecting the General warily. Shang remained silent.

"He trained me as well."

"So I heard," Jin flashed a grin, a remembered smile of times past that warmed Mulan's heart. "I also heard that you saved China from the Huns." Jin's eyes shone with amusement, and Mulan found herself wondering whether he was mocking her.

"That was a long time ago. Anyway, I couldn't have done it on my own."

"What made you do it?" Jin asked, his grin gone. He had gone to war two years ago in search of glory, and had not been asked for his reasons by everyone he met, yet over the past five months since the war ended, Mulan must have said it more times than she had fingers and toes!

"My father was drafted for conscription. I did it to spare him." Shang let out an almost inaudible sigh and turned his face away. Mulan knew, however, that her words had stirred up buried memories of his own father, and quietly felt guilt for them.

"But I though you were due for the matchmaker." Jin remarked, his curiosity plain. Mulan froze rigid in the saddle, feeling the jolt of Khan's step run painfully up her spine. Even Shang turned back to face her, suddenly interested in the subject of her deepest shame.

_Curse him! _Mulan thought angrily as she twisted Khan's reigns about her hands nervously. Both men were examining her, waiting for her to speak. Ancestors forbid she ever tell a lie, but Mulan felt helpless, and wished she could come up with something believable. Knowing that impossible, she resigned herself to the fact that it would have happened sooner or later anyway.

Taking a deep breath to calm her frayed nerves, Mulan lowered her head and hid her face behind the curtain of her hair. "I was…"

"So, how did it go?"

Mulan felt something snap inside her at his persistence. Why did Jin's worst trait have to be curiosity? She whirled abruptly to him, eyes aflame. "Do you think I'd have gone to war if I'd passed?" She demanded in a growl, careful that none of the other soldiers should hear her. Jin shrank back from her fury and even Shang looked alarmed, but she continued. She could feel tears pricking the backs of her eyes. "What would you do if you were shamed before the whole village?" Her tears were poised to fall, but she whipped them away impatiently and spurred Khan ahead. Obedient to his mistress, the horse quickened it's pace, carrying her away from the two men and their damnable inquisitiveness.

_What do I care about what they think? _Mulan reassured herself. _People's opinions of me didn't stop me before._ Even so, Mulan couldn't help but despair that her secret had been revealed to those she so desperately sought approval from, especially Shang. Why he even tolerated her was a mystery to Mulan.

Mulan's surroundings blurred about her as hot tears ran down her cheeks, but before long she slowed Khan to a walk, reasoning that it was too dangerous to be alone. Her last encounter had been unpleasant to extremes, and she had no desire to repeat the experience, instead choosing to sit beside the road on the far side of a small hill. Sitting upon the soft grass and dropping her head into the crook of her elbow, Mulan waited for the soldiers to catch up to her. Above her head, the sun began to sink towards the horizon, and Mulan began to fear that Shang had decided to be rid of her after all.

Mulan didn't know quite how long she had been sitting by the roadside, and it wasn't until the lower edge of the sun's fiery disc touched the world's edge that she heard the rhythmic thudding of hooves on the other side of the hill, yet Mulan still kept her head lowered. The tears were long gone, but no doubt she looked worse for the wear. The hoof beats stopped a few feet from her position, and the whoosh of material heralded that the rider had dismounted.

"Mulan?" It was Shang, speaking hesitantly from the side of his horse; he was probably too disgusted with her to come any closer. "Are you alright?" Mulan almost snorted. It seemed he was asking that of her a lot lately.

"What do you think?" Her voice was bitter, though quiet. She raised her head to fix him with a pointed look, quietly enjoying his discomfort at the question.

"May I join you?" He asked. He sounded wary of her, as though he was dealing with something dangerous, and Mulan momentarily bristled, but let it slip. She was tired of being angry, and the past few days had helped nothing. She nodded her assent, keeping her quiet as he sat beside her in the grass, stretching his long legs out before him. They stayed that way for a long moment.

"Where are the others?" Mulan asked slowly, venturing for a safe topic of conversation, as would be fitting between Captain and General. Shang waved his hand back the way they came, somewhat impatiently.

"I bade them set up camp over the other side of the hill, but it's not them I am concerned about." Surprised that he had dismissed the matter so quickly, Mulan raised her eyes to Shang's face, finding his already locked on her. "Look, Mulan, failing the matchmaker's test isn't such a bad thing."

Sorrowfully, Mulan turned her eyes up to the skies above them, already darkening with the onset of night. "You have no idea…" She struggled to speak past the painful lump that had formed in her throat, suppressing the tears which threatened to flow once again. "I am the laughingstock of my village. I know they talk about me…" Her breath hitched in her chest, but she stifled it as quickly as it came.

"Why should that matter?" Shang inquired, resting a hesitant hand upon her shoulder. "You are honoured higher than anyone in your village."

"Yet no man would want me if I can't be a proper wife." She felt stupid talking of such things with him, a General of the Imperial Army. She must have sounded so foolish. Beside her, Shang took a breath and opened his mouth as though to speak, but closed it again. What had he been about to say?

"Any man would be lucky for a woman such as you." He said finally, in a voice so soft she wondered whether there was more to what he said than that. Even so, it was a compliment, or as close to one as Li Shang would come to giving, and she felt slightly better for it. Deciding to put it behind her , Mulan rose to her feet, feeling an acute ache that had accumulated in her muscles as a result of her long inactivity. Khan trotted over obediently from where he had been grazing at a particularly lush clump of grass, and she carefully remounted him, slowly so as to not strain her sore muscles overmuch. Shang too had returned to his saddle, and she fell in beside him back towards the camp.

"What did you tell the soldiers?" Mulan asked hesitantly. If there was one thing she didn't want, it was for these soldiers under her authority to think her a pathetic, emotional woman.

"I said you went to scout ahead." He replied calmly, ever the level-headed General. "I made Luo Jin swear to silence, as well." After a moment of quiet riding, he said, "You may punish him if you wish."

Shocked, Mulan sat straight in her saddle, alarmed. "No! He didn't know!" She protested, only to see that Shang was smiling, and realised it was only meant as a joke, even managing a small chuckle of her own. Spurring Khan ahead she raced back to the camp, beginning to feel better about the journey ahead of them.

-----

The days passed by quickly as they continued west, following the Silk route that led directly towards their destination. For the most part, Mulan spent her time in the company of Jin, recounting tales of their childhood or telling the other of their experiences in the military. Shang appeared to be slightly sour about her friendship with him, but kept his peace and left her to her own devices, for which she was grateful.

On the fourth day of their journey the weather took a turn for the worse. Ominous clouds had rolled in from over the mountains, looming threateningly overhead, and were now ridding themselves of their load. The rain came down hard upon their backs, and reduced visibility to mere few feet as well as churning the once dry road ahead of them to mud. They had frantically sought shelter from the downpour on the flat plains, and had raced to a meagre outcropping of twisted old trees beneath which they now huddled in a desperate attempt to stay dry, the rotten boughs providing little protection from the fury beyond. Unfortunately, each and every one of them was soaked to the bone and shivering fiercely, despite their best efforts. The horses stood in a forlorn cluster in the deluge beyond, stripped of their gear.

"It doesn't look like it will be stopping anytime soon…" Mulan muttered. Her hair was hanging in damp clumps about her ears and water was trickling uncomfortably down her spine. Shaking, she pulled her cloak further about her shoulders, which was difficult when pressed shoulder to shoulder with those around her.

"We may as well set up camp." Shang sighed to her left. He looked no better than she did herself; his normally immaculate topknot was hanging low on his neck, strands of damp hair escaping from their usual tidy hold and falling into his eyes. Besides which, the bruise on his cheek from their encounter with bandits earlier in the week had discoloured to a vivid yellow mottled with blue, although the swelling had gone down. He heaved himself upright and ordered the troops to their tasks, who unenthusiastically went to do as they were ordered. Mulan watched as he walked among the soldiers, noting how he wore authority as easily as his own armour and commanded the obedience of others with his very presence.

_If only I could do the same, _Mulan thought, resting her chin in her hand. Sighing softly, she pulled herself to her feet and busied herself with retrieving her tent from the pile of saddlebags under the neighbouring tree.

Half an hour later thirty-two tents were set up beneath the scant shelter the old trees offered. They had managed to light a few small fires in some of the better covered areas, and over each the soldiers attempted to cook their meals. Even after a long day's riding, however, Mulan found she had little appetite for the rations provided, and contented herself with warming her feet by the flames, Jin beside her. Shang had not yet sat down to eat, seeing that everything else was seen to before he allowed himself to do so, ever diligent.

Although it was barely evening yet, the light had fled from the sky, the rolling clouds overhead stopping the sun's rays from reaching them. Mulan felt wretched, cold and wet, as she listened with half an ear to another one of Jin's stories, nodding once or twice in order to make it appear as though she was being attentive to his words – a skill she had acquired at camp when the other recruits had turned to less than savoury topics of conversation.

"Captain." Shang's sudden voice at her back startled her, and she jolted back into awareness, turning to face the General behind her. Mulan's face, now turned from the warmth of the fire, felt cold and she gave an involuntary shiver as the cool air brushed her skin. Belatedly, Mulan realised that the use of her formal title meant he wished her to stand to attention, and she did so, feeling every bit out of place as she was in truth – a woman in a man's world. Silent, Shang motioned for her to follow and without question she stepped away from the fire, offering an apologetic glance to Jin as she did so.

Within moments, Mulan found herself stood in Shang's tent. Being a General, he was privileged enough to have a tent that was almost twice the size of a normal recruits and, although admittedly it was smaller than the one he had been housed in at Wu Zhong, was more than adequate for the both of them to stand in without feeling too crowded.

Upon entrance to the tent, Shang headed directly to his bag and drew out a scroll. Sitting upon the ground cross-legged, he proceeded to unroll it upon the tent floor. Mulan sat across from him, watching as the scroll was unrolled. As the picture emerged, Mulan recognised it to be a smaller version of the map she had seen at the palace, and although it was far less detailed, it was marked with a number of other unfamiliar symbols.

"We are here," Shang said, pointing to a spot a mere fingers-width from Chang-an, the Imperial City, sat upon a fat red line which led westward and labelled 'Silk Road'. "I had hoped to reach Lanzhou by the end of next week, but the weather will delay us further…" He trailed off and rubbed his chin tiredly. In that moment Shang looked to be ages older than his twenty-three years, and Mulan felt a rush of compassion for him.

"Can't we just leave anyway, despite the weather?" She asked. It seemed the most obvious solution, however unpleasant. Shang raised his eyes to hers, locking her in a stern gaze and suddenly Mulan found herself regretting she had opened her mouth.

"That won't be possible. Morale is a delicate thing, Mulan, and a forced march would damage it." His tone was condescending, and she felt ignorant because of it. "It would be better to sit this rain out, then proceed at double pace once it has cleared."

"I'm sorry." She muttered, lowering her head. Had the Emperor been playing a trick on her to thrust her into a position she knew so little about? Her experience as a recruit seemed worthless now, however much it had taught her about war.

"Don't be." Shang cut in shortly, shaking his head. "You haven't had the training. I don't expect you to know everything."

"Then why am I here?" She demanded, challenging him with her gaze.

"To learn." Shang replied, getting to his feet and retrieving a substantially heavier scroll from his bag. This one he handed to her, and she unrolled it slightly, reading the title written within.

"Sun Tzu's Art of War?" She read aloud. Shang nodded, and began to pace back and forth in the limited confines of the tent.

"Your training starts as of this evening. I expect you to study that scroll over the course of this journey. Every other evening I want you to report to my tent and I will test you on what you have read." He paused his pacing, gauging her reaction. "Am I understood?".

All at once she felt like a fresh recruit all over again, and she nodded, dumbly, managing to reply with a "Yes sir". A slow smile spread across Shang's face, spoiling the effect and returning Mulan back to the present.

"You and I both know there is no need for formalities between us now, Mulan." Shang reminded her, though his voice was playful. He walked over to her and laid a warm hand on her damp shoulder, smile still in place, holding her gaze with his dark eyes. Mulan found herself enjoying his nearness far more than she ought, but could not bring herself to step away. "Now, go get some rest." Shang said, his voice commanding yet kind. Mulan didn't move immediately, and this prompted a gentle push from Shang, ushering her out of the tent and back into the rainy evening.

Mulan, snapping out of her daze when the cold wind struck her face and finding herself suddenly outside again, asked herself what she had expected. Shang rarely brought himself within such close proximity to others, especially women, and yet he had done so willingly just a moment ago. Mulan dismissed any hopeful thoughts floating about in her mind with impatience. It was more likely that he had done so out of companionship and friendly concern for her. Pulling her cloak further about her shoulders, Mulan stepped out of the shadow of Shang's tent and began a hasty return to her own tent, wishing that her tormenting thoughts would quieten. In the back of her mind, she knew that sleep would be hard to come by this night.

-----

A/N: Just to warn my readers, the chapters for this story may come less often now, as term-time begins next week, and I will become very busy very quickly. I thank those of you who have reviewed so far, and hope you will all do so again despite the delays there may be.

As well as this, I have a bad feeling that my writing is becoming unbearably mundane. Please drop me a review and tell me your opinion, and any possible improvements.

Thanks to:

**CluelessAngel - **The story is rated T for violencelater chapters, namely when they go off to war. I put it on right at the beginning so I wouldn't disappoint readers if I put it up.

**Angel452**

**theITgirl - **I think if Shang _hadn't _drunk the wine, he wouldn't have said it anyway!

Please, _**please**_, drop me a review!

icedragon6171

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Soooo... another chapter (which doesn't belong to me!) posted!! remember to post a review here, or on the links provided on my profile!!


	7. Chapter 7

DISCLAIMER: this chapter doesn't belong to me either!! It belongs to **icedragon6171**!

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Disclaimer: All characters in this story are the rightful property of Disney, except for Luo Jin, who belongs to me :)

**Towards the Setting Sun**

Chapter 7

Their late arrival in Lanzhou brought much relief to the travelling party after nearly two weeks on the road. To Shang, it couldn't have been timed better. The rainstorm of the last week had lasted almost forty-eight hours, and they had ridden hard in order to make up for lost time. Not only that, but their supply of food had been running dangerously low, seeing as each soldier had with them only just enough for the original journey. Now, they gladly rode towards the city, even as the sun was sinking towards its rest and night began to blanket the sky once again.

At the city gates they were met by two soldiers of the garrison stationed there, and were promptly waved through upon sight, the General's armour Shang wore giving them immediate access. Nodding to the men in thanks, Shang led the party through the wide wooden gates as they creaked open, revealing a busy market street lined with stalls and full of jostling city folk, apparently unfazed by the onset of night. The aroma of spices hung heavily in the air, and from the corner of his eye Shang could see Mulan staring at a stall that was almost completely hidden behind gigantic rolls of silk.

_She is still a woman, after all. _Shang mused, a ghost of a smile flitting across his lips. Turning to face the line of soldiers behind him, he saw that they, too, were looking about them at the various sights. Clearly few of them had been to a trading town such as this before, so unlike anywhere else as it was. Shang let out a shout to divert their attention, and waved for them to follow him. Spurring his horse forward in a brisk trot, he broke through the crowd, forging a path before them.

"Where are we going?" Mulan asked to his left, keeping close to his side. Khan appeared to be nervous in the large crowd, and it was apparent that Mulan was having a little difficulty getting him to ride in line. After giving another quick glance behind him to make sure all of the soldiers were keeping up, he turned back to the road ahead of them, looking towards the thin shadow hanging over the roofline of the city ahead of them, where the ground was a little higher.

"The garrison here is stationed inside the barracks, over there." He pointed and Mulan followed the line of his finger with her eyes. "They should be able to house us for the time-being."

"Have you been here before?" Mulan inquired, apparently having noticed his familiarity with the place. Shang nodded, manoeuvring slightly left to avoid a wandering goat and nudging into Mulan in the process. Khan skittered sideways almost instantaneously, and Mulan nearly lost her balance at his sudden movement.

"My father brought me here when I was younger…"Shang replied, but his throat was clenching painfully with buried grief, preventing him from saying more. Sorrowfully, he turned his face from her and struggled with the turmoil of his emotions, annoyed at his weakness. Guilt seemed to pour off Mulan in waves, but this only caused Shang to feel angrier with himself.

"I'm sorr-"

"Don't be." Shang cut in, regretting the sharp edge his feelings lent to his words. Mulan recoiled ever so slightly, so Shang calmed himself and went on, "It's not your fault."

"But-"

"Mulan," her name was said with a trace of tenderness. " If there is one thing I have learnt, it is that war will cause many undeserving deaths, no matter how great the lives of those in it." He paused, collecting his scattered thoughts. "There is no glory in that. No honour."

"Your father died doing what was right." Mulan reassured him, blinking as though struck by memory, but continued. "His life was given in order to save those of others." The cheer of the market did little to lighten Shang's mood, and he found himself desperately wanting to get away from the narrow streets and the clinging scent of spices, feeling claustrophobic. However, knowing that Mulan was right, Shang kept a melancholy silence, detachedly riding down the streets of Lanzhou, the mass of people slowly dispersing as they left the market behind.

The barracks that would be their home for the next few days loomed uninvitingly ahead of them. It was quite an ugly building to an eye so used to the refined shapes of the Imperial city, fashioned from rough stone blocks as it was and completely bereft of any form of decoration. Even the surrounding buildings seemed to lean away from the forbidding structure. The gates to the barracks were closed, and Shang drew his horse to a halt in font of them.

"State your business!" A voice called from the top of the defensive wall surrounding the barracks. The top of a helmet could just be seen peeking over the edge.

Spurring his mount forward two steps, Shang called out: "This is General Li requesting quarters for thirty-two mounted soldiers." A muffled shuffling answered Shang's words, and before long the gates to the barracks creaked open. A portly man strode forth, bedecked in the garb of a Captain and looking far too haughty for his own good. The man stopped a few feet in front of them, and peered sceptically at Shang with his hand twitching fitfully on the hilt of his sword. No doubt he was wondering how someone so young could possibly be his superior.

"Very well." The man said at length, glancing down the assembled ranks of the soldiers before him. He bowed shortly. "You are welcome here."

Their horses were seen to in an orderly fashion by some of the garrisoned soldiers, and Shang watched the proceeds, Mulan by his side. She was clutching her saddlebags to her chest, and Shang could tell that she was nervous, even scared, to a degree, no matter how valiantly she tried to conceal it. Presently, the portly captain who welcomed them approached, giving another formal bow to Shang and casting a distasteful glance at Mulan, who had made no effort to conceal her gender. Shang felt his opinion of the man plummet.

"I am Captain Yuan," he said, puffing his chest out, yet only succeeding to make himself appear more corpulent. Shang suppressed the urge to make a face.

"General Li Shang." Shang replied, hoping his revulsion at the short man wasn't apparent. "This is Captain Fa Mulan." He continued, daring the man to voice what was obviously at the forefront of his conceited little mind. To Shang's disappointment, however, the Captain merely bowed in mock respect, and Mulan courteously mirrored the gesture. Without another word, Captain Yuan marched off into the building, waving at them from over his shoulder. Shang was annoyed at the man's audacity and lack of respect, but for now he was too tired and hungry to care.

The room that Shang was led to was gloomy, much like the rest of the building, equipped with only the bare essentials for the accommodation of soldiers; a straw pallet on top of a somewhat rickety base occupied most of one wall, opposite which was an equally decrepit chair and table. However, it was better than a wet tent on rough ground, and it was at least mildly warm thanks to the coal brazier by the door. Pausing only to set his saddlebags on the chair, Shang headed back out into the hallway, and walked towards the mess hall.

The mess hall was already filling with soldiers coming in for an evening meal of unflavoured rice and dumplings, and Shang, exploiting his position to his fullest, made his way to the front of the queue, glad he didn't have to bide by the soldiers' disorderly jostling. Sitting on one of the less worn tables which he assumed was reserved for officials, he surveyed the gathered troops, mentally counting off each of the thirty who had accompanied him here. Eventually Mulan appeared in the doorway, immediately seeking him out and pushing her way towards him. With a smile, she set herself down beside him.

"Aren't you hungry?" He asked her.

"No," She replied, shaking her head. "Maybe later, though." Shang nodded his head and resumed his meal.

"Captain Yuan doesn't like me." Mulan commented quietly. Her back was ramrod straight.

"He won't dare say anything." Shang reassured her, taking another mouthful of rice.

Across from them, Luo Jin joined the queue. Mulan's demeanour brightened immediately, and she waved at him across the room. Shang felt the familiar annoyance rise up at the other man but snuffed it. He knew that Mulan valued the slender man as a friend, a connection to the village she had left behind, and kept his silence. Yet he couldn't help but notice the way they interacted with each other, so different to the way that she acted around him, and felt jealousy stirring in it's dark pit.

His rice now finished, Shang took another count of the soldiers in the room, seeing that all of their troop was now present. Standing from his place, he struck the table's surface with the flat of his hand to catch their attention. The resultant crack was slightly louder than he had intended, but succeeded desirably in turning all heads in the room to look at him.

"Soldiers," he barked, "I hear the inns here in Lanzhou are very welcoming this time of year." He paused, gauging the gathered troops, seeing their anticipation as to his next words. "See that you enjoy them." A cheer went up in the hall, and suddenly there was a stream of men rushing out of the door, as Shang had expected there might be. By the time the flow had stopped, Shang, a rather surprised Mulan and a few soldiers from the garrison were all that remained in the mess hall. Chuckling to himself, Shang sat himself back down.

"Aren't you going with them?" Mulan asked eventually, still looking at the door.

"No." He said, then thanked the cook for the cup of tea that was handed to him. He took a sip, and sighed contentedly at the sensation of the hot liquid running it's way down his throat.

"Why?"

"The prospect of getting drunk holds little appeal to me," he replied, rolling the little cup between his hands and watching the liquid swirl about lazily. "I have more important things to do."

Mulan accepted the answer quietly, before saying, "They'll be in no condition to be riding tomorrow, though."

Shang took another sip of his tea. "I know."

"Then why do it? We won't be able to leave tomorrow, now."

"It wasn't my intention to leave tomorrow anyway," Shang said, draining the last of his tea and setting the cup back on the table. "As for why I did it… Morale, Mulan. They are a long way from home, most of them, and need the pleasures an inn can offer to keep them in order. Besides which -"

Captain Yuan chose that moment to rush in the room in a slightly ridiculous swirl of too-long cape, strutting up to them with a face so red he looked ready to burst. Coming to a huffy stop before them, he mopped his brow with a dirty rag and produced as terrible a frown as he could muster. Mulan seemed somewhat alarmed, but Shang kept a composed expression, and waited quietly for the short Captain to speak, letting the irritation at his interruption simmer.

"Where have all the soldiers gone?" Captain Yuan demanded, his face seemingly turning three shades redder, if that was possible.

"I gave them permission to visit the inns for the evening." Shang replied evenly, fixing the captain with a withering look. A new sheen of sweat began to glisten on the Captain's brow

"What did you do that for?"

Who did this fool think he was? Shang narrowed his eyes coldly and stood slowly from his seat, rounding the table to tower above the diminutive man before him. Captain Yuan shrank back from him, almost stumbling over a chair on the adjacent table. Catching himself, the Captain stood rooted to the spot under Shang's fierce glare.

"What I do is not of concern to you, Yuan," Shang said, his voice dangerous. "You may be a Captain, but I can still have you whipped for your insolence."

Captain Yuan was frozen to the spot, looking both frightened and furious at once.

"But-"

"Am I understood?" Shang demanded sharply of the man. The Captain nodded jerkily in response. "You are dismissed." Shang ordered, and luckily the Captain chose not to argue further, hurriedly exiting the hall and mopping his brow once more in the process. Once the last corner of the arrogant man's red cape disappeared from sight, Shang let the façade drop, reassuming his natural posture with a sigh. Would he always be hounded by fools as long as he was a General?

"As I was saying…" Shang continued, turning back to Mulan and motioning for her to walk with him. She rose slowly, but obediently fell into step at his side "We will need to obtain more supplies for the next part of the journey, as well as a guide. I haven't been any further west than this, and the deserts beyond are dangerous for those unfamiliar with them."

"Deserts?" Mulan asked, frowning. Her step faltered slightly, but she recovered smoothly.

"We will be skirting the Tarim Basin on the way to Kashgar." He told her, then asked, "Have you ever heard of the Taklamakan Desert, Mulan?"

Apparently she had, judging by the way her eyes widened with surprise. "I thought no-one ever came out of there alive!" She exclaimed, her voice rising in pitch.

"Well, they must have done. The Silk Road goes right through it." Shang chuckled.

"Is there no other way?" She asked hopefully, wringing her hands anxiously in front of her.

"Not unless we want to arrive in the dead of winter." He replied, losing the humour in his tone. It was true. The only other route would take them further north and would require them to cross mountains to reach their destination, therefore almost doubling the length of their journey. The onset of winter would make the passage through the mountains treacherous to say the least, and would likely mean their death. No, it was better this way.

"So…" Mulan began slowly, drawing away from the previous topic, "what do we do when we get to Kashgar? It will be too late in the year to go anywhere by that time. We will have to wait until spring before we try to do that."

"By the time we get there, new recruits will be arriving in preparation for their training. While this is happening, we also need to gather necessary supplies for our trip west, and, like you said, wait until early spring to march upon the Turks."

"How many recruits are we expecting?"

"As many as we can get, plus more besides. Many thousands I expect." He paused his step at the end of a branching corridor, and heaved his shoulders in a great sigh. He continued in a muted whisper, "It's a lot of lives to be responsible for."

"I'm sure everything will be fine." Mulan said in response, reassuring him, for once. Even though Shang could see the doubt that lurked at the back of her gaze, he gave her an appreciative smile, thankful for her efforts. He patted her lightly on the shoulder, wordlessly bidding her goodnight before returning to the solitude of his temporary room.

-----

Shang began to doubt the wisdom of the decision he had made the day before when he saw the state the soldiers were in. The early morning revealed the ten men selected for their trip into the town to be barely semi-conscious, staggering with the after-effect of heavy dosages of alcohol and leaning upon one another for support as they clutched their heads in pain. Even Luo Jin, usually poised and somewhat graceful in a masculine way was looking worse for wear, his complexion pale and sickly. Shang crossed his arms, wishing that it were easier to conceal his pleasure at the other man's misfortune.

The horses were brought before them shortly after the emergence of the hung-over soldiers, and soon they were heading down the incline towards the city proper. Shang kept them at a deliberate trot, knowing that the continuous jolting of the horses' gaits would wake them, if uncomfortably. Mulan seemed oblivious to his purpose, merely giving him a disapproving glance that he would pain the others so. He fought the urge to smile back at her, fearing both her reaction and those of the soldiers following them, although they would admittedly be hard pressed to notice, so absorbed in their own discomfort as they were.

"Here." He said finally, tossing a small bag of gold coins to Mulan, who caught them with ease even as she rode. She opened the bag and pulled out a string of coins, her eyes widening ever so slightly. "I need you to buy the supplies for our journey."

Frowning, she asked, "What do we need, and how much?"

"Dried food enough for thirty-two – preferably to last us the rest of the journey – perhaps one sack of rice, some more water skins and a cart to carry everything in. If there is anything else that may be useful, I trust you to see to it."

She blushed modestly in the face of his favour towards her, but recovered swiftly, asking, "And what of you?"

"I am to find our guide." He replied, halting the group before the first of the market stalls. "Now, take five men with you, and I'll see you back at the barracks." Nodding, Mulan turned to the men and began to select those to accompany her. Knowing, immediately, who she meant to pick before all others, Shang interrupted her mid-sentence, calling out "Luo Jin, you're with me." Bewildered, the man gave a nervous glance in Mulan's direction, and she in turn turned to fix him with a look that was both confused and annoyed all at once, but Shang merely ignored it and picked four others to accompany him. Even as he rode into the crowded marketplace, he could feel her eyes boring holes into his back.

Luo Jin hesitantly rode up beside him, and asked, "Did you have a disagreement with Captain Fa, General?" Shang shot him a withering glance, and noted with pleasure the way that Jin drew away ever so slightly, intimidated.

"No."

The man obviously wished to question him further, but decided against demanding reasons for a General's actions. Shang almost felt disappointed, knowing that such actions would allow him to dole out some punishment or other, as he saw fitting. A fraction of a second later, Shang asked himself where all of his ill-will towards Jin had come from, because in truth the man didn't seem that bad; the other soldiers liked him well, as did Mulan, who herself had had very few friends in the past.

_Am I… jealous?_

"Sir?" Jin's voice beside him startled him from his reverie, and Shang dearly hoped that the soldiers hadn't noticed him jump. He turned to face Jin, schooling his face into an impassive mask. "Where are we going?"

Shang was momentarily caught off guard. Where were they going? Gathering his wits, Shang stopped his horse and tried to look as authoritative as possible. "Where would you look for a guide, Luo Jin?" He replied, calmly, his tone almost condescending. The man was turning slowly red, recognising that the question was meant to make him look stupid, as though he had no grasp on that which was obvious. Satisfied that the decision was taken off of his shoulders, Shang watched as Jin groped for an answer.

"A guide? Well… we're on the silk route, a guide would be a merchant so, uh… he might be selling something in the market – I mean here – but you would have thought of that…" Jin stumbled with his words, descending for a moment into an unintelligible mutter and fidgeting with the reigns to his horse. Behind Shang, the other soldiers were sniggering among themselves, and even Shang couldn't help the smile that tugged at the corners of his mouth. "A merchant would have coins from selling things… money…" He paused. "A… an inn, General?"

"Yes, Jin," Shang replied with a slight incline of his head. Despite the initial fumble for an answer, the man had some sense at least. If Shang had been thinking properly, it probably would have occurred to him also, and so he mentally gave Jin some credit, although his overall opinion of him remained relatively unchanged. "Now, you will be my guide to said inn." Shang held his hand out in a commanding gesture to take lead, and all at once Jin's awkwardness vanished. He rode forward with all the arrogance of a vain peacock, stirring his horse – a handsome white gelding mottled with grey across it's rump and neck – to a trot.

The inn was little more than a shabby house at a cross roads, with shards of shattered roof tiles spread about it and plaster crumbling from its walls. Despite it's apparent state of disrepair, the inn did boast a small army of patrons, many of which looked more like thieves and ruffians than the inhabitants of a great city of the Empire. Shang caught the glint of knives concealed beneath tabletops upon their entrance, and was immediately glad he had chosen to bring the soldiers with him. Gathering his nerves, Shang decided that standing in the doorway would do little to solve their problem.

"I need a guide," he announced to the room at large, in as imperious a voice as he could muster. The silence that greeted him was deafening, if brief. Then, one of the patrons stood, eyeing him warily.

"Where are you to, _General_?" The sneering emphasis on Shang's official title made it clear that these men had little care for his power, only his money.

"Kashgar."

"General," a new voice called from the back, and a wiry man dressed in loose, travel worn clothing approached Shang. Everything about the man proclaimed him a traveller, from the foreign style of his clothes to the leathery brown complexion of his face. Shang found himself being promptly ushered out of the inn, the strange man behind him. Once outside, they faced each other, unflinchingly meeting the other's gaze while the five soldiers fanned around them. Shang searched at his waist for the small bag hanging there, his gaze never leaving the traveller's face, and, contented that his money hadn't been stolen, waved the soldiers off.

"So, you are going to Kashgar… that is a very long way, General," The man said, grinning a lopsided smile that showed the gaps in his teeth. Dimly, gold glittered also. "I may be willing to take you there… for a price."

Shang studied the traveller's face. Now that they were out of the dim shelter of the inn, he could see the merchant more clearly. He was certainly not a youthful man, judging by the lines worn into his face and the grey that mottled his temples. He was, indeed, very wiry, his bones looking no stronger than that of a bird's. However, appearances could be deceiving, and this man, for all his apparent weakness, was probably little more than a common thief. Even so, they were in desperate need of a guide, and from the reactions of the inn's patrons, it didn't appear as though they had much choice in the matter.

"Very well. What are your terms?"

-----

A/N: Sorry this took so long, but I have been _really _busy. I hope it's OK. Please leave a review and tell me what you think.

Shout-outs!

**misswildfire - **I think most of the problem is that there aren't enough stories being written, actually, but you are right that there are some fics which aren't that good. Thanks for your review! It's always nice to see someone new.

**Im going to ask Matt - **Thanks for your reviews (all 3 of them!) Hope you keep reading.

**theITgirl - **Thanks for your support! It's hard for me to figure out whether my writing is any good, but I suppose it would be wouldn't it? Anyway, thanks again for your continued support, and your reviews!

**CluelessAngel - **The conflicts are there to make the story more interesting I suppose, as I can't think of many other ways to do the same. Maybe you could give a few suggestions?

**Angel452 - **Luo Jin is just a friend, although it will become more complicated later on. Thanks for your review.

Don't worry everyone! This _is _a Shang/Mulan fic, but it will just take a long time!

Until next time!

icedragon6171

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Hope you also enjoyed this chapter!!! But remember DO NOT give me the credit!! This chapter is the result of **icedragon6171**'s amazing imagination!!!=)


	8. Chapter 8

DISCLAIMER: well, I think I've made it clear enough in all of the previous chapters...THIS CHAPTER DOESN'T BELONG TO ME!!! Its rightful owner is **icedragon6171**!!!

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Disclaimer: All characters in this story are the rightful property of Disney, except for Luo Jin, who belongs to me :)

**Towards the Setting Sun**

Chapter 8

Stepping out into the night, Mulan pulled her cloak tighter about her shoulders as the cold struck her like a physical blow. No matter how many times she did it, she couldn't help the gasp which escaped her when the shock of the cold air took her breath away. Sucking in a breath of the frigid air she shivered as her throat constricted painfully in reaction, and strode away from the tent.

Underneath the cloak, she hugged 'The Art of War' to her abdomen, the wooden handles digging into her ribs. Her official training had begun several weeks before, but yet she struggled to keep the principles laid down in the scripture in her memory. Her instruction from Shang this evening proved to be little different from every other, and despite her best efforts she still felt as though she had failed to achieve as much as she wished she had. But regardless of her bad performance this evening, and every other for that matter, what surprised Mulan was Shang's endless patience with her during her tuition. Even in Wu Zhong he was harder on her when she failed to complete a task. She put the thought from her mind; she had other things to worry about.

With only the moon's glow to guide her, Mulan made her way through the camp in the dark on a roundabout trip towards her tent, skipping over the occasional hot coal blown from the nearest camp fire. There was no particular reason for this, save that Mulan wished to avoid the camp of their so-called guide and his band of miscreants, all of whom looked no more trustworthy than the thugs who had attacked her nearly two months ago on her trip to the palace. Mulan shuddered at the thought.

"Captain Fa!"

The voice which called out to her in the darkness had an amused edge, and Mulan turned stiffly towards it. Dimly, she could make out a figure sitting on the edge of the small cart they were using to carry their equipment and supplies, as well as another less defined shape to one side. She already knew who it was.

"Luo Jin, I hope you're giving your full attention towards your duty this evening." Mulan replied jestingly, heading over. As she drew closer she could she see the metallic sheen of his armour and the sword across his lap, but the soldierly image was ruined by the way his eyes were sparkling in the dim light and the silly smile he had plastered across his face.

"Indeed, my most noble captain, this camp is safe thanks to my constant vigil-," The soldier leaning against the side of the cart, Chang Hsin-pao, a large muscle-bound man with a prominent chin and bull neck, snorted loudly at Jin's comment. What followed was a lightning-quick movement from Jin, which was near invisible in the dark, and a sharp cry of pain from the larger man. Hsin-pao, grumbling obscenities beneath his breath, stalked off into the night to his tent, leaving Jin and Mulan alone.

"Anyway," Jin continued, his grin re-emerging from the dark, "Where have you been this evening?"

"With the General-," Jin's eyebrow rose startlingly high, "-studying the 'Art of War'." Mulan glared at her friend's reaction, having realised what he must have been thinking. She shifted the scroll uncomfortably beneath her cloak.

"And how is the General?"

Mulan didn't like his tone or whatever he was trying to insinuate.

"I wouldn't know." She replied guardedly. Jin, realising she would not provide further amusement, fell silent, and the white of his teeth disappeared once more. Mulan turned to leave.

"He doesn't like me." Mulan's eyes darted back to her childhood friend, alarmed by his sombre tone. For one who was always so cheerful, it was unusual to hear him like this.

"I know." Her eyes dropped to the ground and the sand beneath her feet. "But then again, Shang didn't like me at first either."

"Really?" He was interested now – she could see it in the way he looked at her. She gave a quiet laugh, and turned back to sit beside him on the wooden edge of the cart.

"He absolutely despised me; He caught me cheating on almost every single task, and I caused a lot of trouble around the camp." Mulan paused to tuck her knees up under her chin and wrap her cloak around them, the 'Art of War' nestled carefully in her lap. "He told me to go home, so then I proved to him that I could cope. Things changed after that."

Silence greeted her words. Jin seemed lost in his own mind, a barely visible frown running tiny crinkles between his brows. Mulan studied him briefly out of the corner of her eye, and then turned them skyward to regard the stars in their heavenly seat. If anything at all good could be said about this wretched desert, it would be that the night sky was spectacular.

"Mulan?" Jin whispered, so quiet Mulan almost didn't hear it.

"Hmm?"

He took a breath of the frigid air, exhaling again in a billowing cloud. "Do you ever find yourself wondering why you joined the army at all?"

Lowering her gaze to burrow her chin into the warm folds of her cloak, she considered her answer.

"All the time."

-----

The sun's blazing eye glared down at them from its high house in the sky, beating them with waves of scorching heat. The sand beneath their feet was painful to walk upon, strewn with sharp stones and slowly getting warmer as the day drew on. It was early yet, the mist still crowning the distant mountain peaks to the north, but it was only possible to traverse the sands early in the morning or before the sun set at night; the noon sun was enough to kill even the most experienced traveller, should they be stupid enough to venture out at that time.

Mulan staggered on in the heat, leading Khan behind her by the reins. The horse was struggling with the temperature; his glossy black coat was seemingly soaking up the heat, and was now practically dripping with perspiration.. It was unfair to ride him in this condition, so Mulan had opted to walk instead; the extra weight of a rider could prove fatal to him, and it was not Mulan's desire to see her horse suffer because of her own selfish needs. Horses were valuable, true, but Khan was also one of her dearest friends. However, while Khan battled the heat, the white mounts of the other soldiers didn't seem to suffer so severely, and even though Jin had offered her his own stallion to ride, she had stubbornly refused. Khan was her horse and her responsibility. Even if she was a woman, she could manage on her own.

The camel ahead of her took another swaying step, the load balanced precariously across its double-hump rocking with the motion. It was a huge beast, taller than even the largest man among them and even longer than that, and even though it had a curious covering of long hair it seemed to be coping better with the desert heat than anyone in the travelling party. Having never seen a camel at all before setting foot in Lanzhou, it had taken a while for Mulan to become used to the sight of the group of odd beasts that their guides kept. According to Shang, they were commonly used along the Silk Road as pack animals, and were highly valued in western countries. It was difficult to believe, considering their appearance and foul temperament.

Shang himself had been keeping constant company with Teng Tsu-yu, the head of the band of merchants acting as their guides across this barren wasteland. Mulan glanced towards where he rode straight-backed and confident beside the stooped form of the wiry old man on his camel. They never spoke except of the way and suitable places to camp, and even now they remained tersely silent. For Mulan, on the other hand, things were slightly more interesting. In the hours they spent trekking across the inhospitable landscape of the Taklamakan, she took the opportunity to familiarise herself with the soldiers. A month in each others' company had gradually broken down the barriers between them, and they had begun to respect her, just as Shang had said they would with time. The reputation she had earned as a hero of war helped, of course, not to mention the skills she had attained during her days at Wu Zhong concerning interaction with men. It was gladdening to be in the company of so many people whom she could trust, particularly when they surrounded by those of a less virtuous nature.

As noon drew nearer, so did they to the mountains. Apparently Teng Tsu-yu was leading them to a spring in the rock face, which was frequently used by travellers on the Silk Road. It was well timed indeed; their water supply was diminishing quickly, with little over five water skins remaining to share between sixty men and horses. Mulan passed a dry tongue over her cracking lips, eager for a drink to wet her parched throat.

Gradually the terrain changed, merging from sand into rocks and the occasional boulder, glaring white in the sunlight. Ahead of them, Shang paused his mount momentarily, surveying their surroundings, and turned back to where Mulan and the soldiers followed. His mouth was set in a hard line, and he was frowning. His right hand made a rough signal to her, the other moving to rest on the gold pommel of his sword. An instant later, he turned and rode ahead once more.

_Be alert._

Scanning the area herself, Mulan recognised the potential threat. The boulders hereabouts could conceal bandits and thieves, either working in coordination with Teng Tsu-yu or independently. Even as a group of thirty soldiers they could still be overwhelmed, especially if taken by surprise, and they had things in their possession which were very valuable. Should they be attacked, their lives and those of the soldiers would depend on a quick, level-headed reaction from Shang and herself.

Another hour passed and they were finally at the foot of a sheer rock face, surrounded by boulders which watched them like silent sentinels. The spring was really just a sad little trickle of water over the white surface of the rock, polished smooth over hundreds of years of use by travellers such as themselves, and the water itself had a slightly cloudy appearance. Nevertheless, it was a welcome sight, and every one of them was eager for a drink, and none more so than Khan, who upon spying the trickle began to strain against the reins, pulling Mulan along with him. It would have been a fruitless struggle had she decided to wait her turn. Khan, even when he was tired and thirsty, was still a strong horse, and more often than not got what he wanted. Mulan didn't mind, especially in this situation. If it meant that her horse survived another day, that was what she wanted too.

When Mulan eventually got her turn at the spring after Khan had drunk his fill, she didn't hesitate to slurp a great handful of the murky water into her mouth. She almost choked.

"What is it?" Jin asked from behind. He was next in line, but was currently peering over her shoulder after her hacking cough.

Wiping her mouth with the back of her hand, Mulan replied, "It tastes like mud." Perhaps she should have taken the water's colour into account before so hastily consuming it.

Jin remained silent, but she could tell that he was grinning at her back. No doubt she would be the subject of a few jokes this evening. Mulan gritted her teeth, and gathered another handful of the foul liquid. Even if the water did taste awful, she wouldn't let it be said that she was unsuited to the army merely because she was a woman.

Shang remained alert while, one by one, each of the soldiers stooped to drink the water from the rock face, even though he was no doubt as thirsty as the rest of them and his position of authority would have given him immediate access to the water had he wished. It was only until the rest of them had had their fill that he, too, moved to drink, although his shoulders were set squarely, prepared for attack should one come. It was at times like this that Mulan knew that no matter how much he changed, he was still the same selfless and brave captain she had met so long ago. A brief image of him in the snowy mountain peaks, leading a motley company of newly-trained soldiers against the crawling black mass of the Hun army surging towards them flashed to the forefront of Mulan's mind, but was dismissed quickly. Now was not the time, or the place, to be thinking of such things.

It turned out that there was no need for their guard against possible bandits. The surrounding terrain remained quiet and undisturbed - save for themselves and the steadily approaching black smudge ahead of them - when they set off again three hours later, feeling revitalised and with water skins swollen once more. Thankfully Khan seemed in better shape as well, and for what seemed the first time in ages Mulan actually felt confident enough to climb back into his saddle, albeit tentatively. Her mood improved, and she began to forget about her annoyance towards Jin. He would have reacted in the same way to anyone. It was just the way he was.

As the day wore on and their shadows drew longer behind them, the black smudge in the distance began to change into more recognisable shapes, although still somewhat distorted by the heat rising from the sand and dancing before their eyes. It was another group of travellers and, from what Mulan could tell, it was much larger than their own, yet although this was quite plain, their group remained on track, heading directly ahead. Tsu-Yu, thirty paces ahead of her, looked anxious.

The sun was almost directly ahead of them and glaring into their eyes when they eventually reached the other travelling party, giving them a severe disadvantage should this meeting come to blows. Mulan tried to appear confident as she rode past the first member of the other party, a barrel-chested man with a thick, wiry moustache, and brightly coloured clothing. He gave her a curious look as he went – no doubt he was wondering why a woman was dressed in armour, as virtually every person they had met so far had done. Mulan averted her eyes, feeling uncomfortable, and passed them further down the line beside them-

-where a long line of people, chained together hand and foot, followed.

Mulan didn't know what to think. She was shocked and appalled at the sight of the slaves, but at the same time she was also curious. In her short life she had seen the occasional slave belonging to some rich noble or another, but to see them in such large numbers and such variety was completely new. They ranged not only from men to women, aged crone to child, but in appearance also. There were people of whom she had never seen the like; a man with skin as pale as milk, turning red in the sun, and another who, in contrast, was the colour of ebony. Beyond that, a woman with eyes as startling a hue of blue as the sky was followed by a young boy, no older than twelve, with hair a foreign shade of gold that shone brightly in the sun. They stumbled past in their multitudes, each looking as hopeless and wretched as the last, and Mulan could do nothing but stare, mouth agape.

Without warning, the legs of the golden-haired boy collapsed beneath him from exhaustion. He fell to the sand with a clatter of chain links, the sudden weight subsequently tripping up the individual in front, bringing their feet out from under them. In the next instant, the slave driver dashed down the line to the prone boy, and, drawing out a short whip, closed in on him mercilessly. The other slaves were desperately trying to move out of the way, but were brought up short by their iron bonds.

Mulan had seen enough.

"Stop!"

Wheeling Khan rapidly she rode over, taking no notice of Shang's shout behind her. Leaping from the saddle in one fluid motion, she then darted towards the ruthless merchant and caught a hold of his wrist as he drew it back in preparation to strike and held it in place. The boy, although weak with exhaustion, stared up at her with scared eyes.

Distracted, Mulan's grip slackened.

The merchant, despite being a large man, was quick to react. Spinning around to face Mulan, he drew his free arm across his chest and let it whip out again in a backhand strike to her cheek. Sharp pain flared instantly, and she staggered back with the force of the blow, dazed. The taste of blood filled her mouth.

Mulan's assailant stalked towards her, anger in his eyes, the slave boy forgotten. At some point during the last few moments he had discarded the whip and drawn out a curved blade, which, although tarnished and nicked in several places, looked wicked all the same. Straightening herself, Mulan gripped the hilt of her own sword and drew it out, steeling herself for a fight.

"Captain! Step down!" Shang's yell brought her back to herself with a jolt.

What was she doing?

Shang's tall frame obscured her vision as he stepped between her and the advancing slave driver. The General's sudden appearance seemed to put off the other man, who hesitated and tried to steal a glance at her over Shang's shoulder. From where she stood, Mulan could see the set of his jaw; he wasn't happy.

"Go back to your horse, Captain." Shang commanded, stiffly waving her away but refusing to turn and look her in the face. "Now."

His tone left little room for argument, and although he couldn't see her, she gave a small nod and obeyed, wiping her lips of the blood there as she went. Her cheek stung, and it wouldn't be long before a bruise would blossom there. Even so, a bruise was better than a scar, and at least Shang's intervention had spared her any more of those.

The travelling group had remained clustered together away from the commotion she had caused, and she felt undignified under their collective stare. She joined them silently, head bowed. Luo Jin offered a brief, sympathetic glance, but his gaze shifted to where Shang now stood arguing with the irate slave driver, who repeatedly threw wild gestures in her general direction. Eventually, they appeared to agree on something, and Shang reluctantly pressed an object into the hand of the other man. Mulan winced. Shang would not be pleased. Not at all.

-----

"What were you thinking?"

Mulan knelt in silence while Shang paced angrily before her. He'd summoned her to his tent not long after making camp, after having completely ignored her existence for the remainder of their day's journey. If she had known that her actions would cause this much trouble then she might have thought twice about what she did, but it was too late for that now.

"You provoked the boy's owner," He said, his tone accusatory. Mulan tried to protest, but Shang carried on regardless, "thereby putting your own life – and those of your subordinates – in danger."

"He hit me!" Mulan cut in. She raised careful fingers to her cheek, already discoloured from the blow she had received. If truth be told, it was merely covering deeper hurt and humiliation.

"He had every right to, even if you are a military official." Shang contested, eyes narrowed. "You interfered with something that was of no concern to you."

"The boy was exhausted; it wasn't his fault he fell." Mulan offered weakly. What Shang said was true; she had no business with the slave or his owner. "He was defenceless. I couldn't just stand by and watch."

Shang's expression softened, if only for a moment, but resumed its stony appearance once more. "The boy was not your concern." Shang reiterated, "Not to mention a slave and a foreigner. You had no obligation to protect him."

Mulan stiffened. Whether the boy was foreign or not did not change the fact that he was only a _child_.

"I may not have had an obligation, General," Mulan replied, her voice quiet but with underlying scorn, "but at least I have a heart."

Shang froze. His fists clenched and he took a deep, shaky breath of air as though to calm himself, turning his back to her as he did so. Mulan began to suspect she had gone too far, and prepared to apologise.

His words, when they came, were low, hinting at the boiling anger beneath his controlled façade.

"You are dismissed, Captain." He paused only to open the tent flap. "Go back to your tent."

Mulan didn't hesitate to leave.

-----

A/N: Phew! I've finally written this chapter, hooray! I sincerely apologise to everyone who has been reading this story for the long wait, but I've been bogged down so completely with work that it's been impossible to get anything done until recently. Hopefully, however, I will be able to get more done as we come up to the holiday period, so fingers crossed!

Please leave a review-I'd be delighted if you do!

Sadly, however, shout-outs have to be discontinued due to the new rules, but I'll try my best to reply to your reviews.

icedragon6171

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I loooved this chapter when I first read it!! I think Mulan's and Shang's argument looks competely real and absolutely not out of place!!! (and we all knew they had to argue sooner or later to make the story more interesting!!!!).


	9. Chapter 9

DISCLAIMER: this chapter doesn't belong to me either, and nor does the new character Captain Hsiao Tso-liang. It all belongs to **icedragon6171**!

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Disclaimer: All characters in this story are the rightful property of Disney, except for Luo Jin and Captain Hsiao Tso-liang, who belong to me :)

A/N: Anonymous reviews are **now accepted**. Apparently I'd disabled them a while ago and forgotten. Sorry to anyone who wanted to review and couldn't. Anyway, without further ado, here's the next chapter.

**Towards the Setting Sun**

Chapter 9

Shang couldn't sleep.

After spending much of the night tossing and turning restlessly, he had eventually given up on it. It wasn't the first time either. Many nights had resulted in something very similar, and now fatigue was beginning to catch up on him. Scrubbing at his eyes with the heels of his palms, Shang stood and threw on his cloak. He would walk, for the time being; it was the only way he could quiet his turbulent mind.

The battlements of the fortress at Kashgar offered a good view of the city below in the valley, and with little thought Shang found himself there, guided by the familiar route his walks would lead him on. He leant against the cold stone for a moment, angling his head to look east, where the sun would rise in a few hours time. It was the direction from which they had arrived here, almost three weeks ago now, exhausted from the long trek across the unforgiving Taklamakan desert. Bad memories permeated his recollection of the place.

"Mulan…" Shang muttered beneath his breath. Turning his back to the distant sands, he closed his eyes and crossed his arms across his chest. If she had just _listened _to him, they wouldn't be at such odds now. But _no_. She had to get herself involved in something which was of no concern to her, and which _he _had to settle. Stupid female compassion.

Of course, it was easy to blame her actions, and pretend that he was angry with them, but in truth he would have been able to forgive her. At least, had she not called him heartless. As it was, he was too deeply hurt by that to care. Heartless? Was it heartless for him to have spared the life of an innocent woman, exposed and vulnerable in the cold mountains? Shang's heart twisted at the memory, but he snuffed its complaint without hesitation. If she wanted this animosity between them, then so be it. He didn't care.

Indeed, Mulan had been purposely avoiding him whenever she could since that incident. She still had to come for instruction every other night, but their sessions were short, sharp and to the point. He would waste no time on someone he had no wish to speak to, although he did occasionally find himself missing holding a proper conversation with her. Of all of the people in their small group, she had been the only one he could trust as a friend, and the only one with whom he could discard formalities. That sense of companionship was severely lacking with nearly any other person, and until now he hadn't realised how much he'd become accustomed to it. But… that's right - he didn't care.

A bitter wind momentarily stung his face as it blew from the western mountains, but he stubbornly remained facing it. This was his mission. Head west, stop the Turk army and return home. The sooner he was done with it, the sooner he could go home, the sooner he could forget this and the sooner his life could return to normalcy. At the moment, there was nothing he wanted more.

-----

The fortress was a huge collection of buildings nestled high up in the Kashgar valley, ringed by a solid stone wall and overlooking the city and all of the roads and passes in the area. From the city, one could see it looming threateningly from above, a warning to any who would cause trouble, but from that distance its menace was somewhat dimmed. It wasn't until you stood outside the gate that you realised its true majesty. Fashioned from large blocks of stone, the walls surrounding the fortress towered above passers-by. The banners hanging from the walls above the gate and bearing the insignia of the Emperor, proudly displayed in bright red and gold, flapped occasionally in the gusts of wind that would periodically come rushing down the mountain.

Shang stood in the Gatehouse watching rank upon rank of soldiers marching into the fortress, the dull thump of their feet against the paved road causing his head to throb. Five-hundred infantrymen from a garrison in a smaller city to the north to add to the seven-thousand men already here. There were far more on the way, Shang knew, and they would be arriving very soon, before the winter set in. If they didn't make it for then, they wouldn't make it at all; it was suicide to carry out military operations during the winter.

With a heavy sigh, Shang pulled himself away from the small opening to head into the courtyard below. These troops would need settling before long, and there were none present save himself to do so. He felt his headache increase its throbbing, as though in complaint. It was going to be a long day.

The courtyard was in chaos, to say the least, and Shang hoped that he'd be able to find whoever was in charge quickly. It was hard to see anything through the milling heads of the newly-arrived soldiers, even from his vantage point on top of the stone stairs leading to the Gatehouse's entrance. Shang briefly scanned the faces of the soldiers as they assembled themselves, measuring each one of them with his gaze before moving to the next. It was alarming how many of them looked so young.

_Too young to be in a war_, Shang thought sadly. _Is this what it has come to?_

A flash of red caught Shang's eye and snapped him out of his reverie. The soldiers were parting to let their superior through, a captain, by the looks of his armour. He was tall, standing almost head and shoulders above the soldiers under his command and taller even than Shang, although only by a few inches. Despite his height, however, he was not lanky in the way that Mulan's friend Ling was, but broad in the chest and filled out with muscles. He must have been in his mid thirties at least, judging by the dusting of silver hair at his temples and the battle-worn face. A thin white scar ran diagonally across one cheek beneath his dark, penetrating gaze.

"General." The man said, bowing quickly. "I am Captain Hsiao Tso-liang. I have come under orders from his Excellence to aid against the Turk army."

"I thank you for coming to us so late in the year. I am General Li Shang." He replied, walking down the remaining stairs to stand level with the Captain. "Accommodation will be arranged shortly for you and your men."

The other man bowed again, hand over fist. When he rose, he asked "Is the woman-warrior Fa Mulan here also?"

Shang didn't know what to think. He blinked instead.

"She is." He answered eventually. "Why do you wish to know?"

Tso-liang gave a short burst of rumblinglaughter, his dark eyes twinkling with mirth. Somehow, Shang thought he would come to like this man.

"Stories of China's heroine reached my ears many months ago. It would be a great honour to talk to her, if I may." The captain answered with a lingering smile.

"Very well."

Shang led Tso-liang to the training fields, where Mulan was currently instructing a portion of the force stationed at the fortress on the finer points of horsemanship. So far, most of the soldiers had little skill in handling the beasts, and those that did paled in comparison to Mulan. When they struggled to complete the task set them, she would demonstrate with impeccable skill how it was to be done.

While Shang stood in silent observation, Captain Hsiao beside him, he could almost forget what she had said back then in the desert. But then he would remember, and the same simmering anger would boil up again. His head thumped dully, and he gritted his teeth. This was doing him no good.

He turned to leave, but as he was about to walk back to the main body of the fortress, Tso-liang spoke. "I understand that she was under your command during the Hun invasion? Back when you were a captain."

"She was." Was Shang's short response. He kept his back to the training field, feeling the simmering anger increase intensity.

"And you spared her life. It was a noble thing to do General."

"A life for a life. My debt is repaid." I wouldn't call it noble… It was cowardly.

"She saved my life…" Shang said quietly, and hung his head. The heat of his anger died down, if only slightly; he wouldn't forgive her so easily.

"Really? She is a marvel…" He trailed off, and Shang rose his head to cast a glance in the Captain's direction. He was looking out on the field, a frown on his face.

The clamour that followed was alarming, and Shang wheeled back to see the cause. A horse had cast a shoe in mid gallop, and consequently tripped, tossing the rider from the saddle to the frosted earth. Shang started forwards immediately, dashing across the field to the rider and horse where they lay sprawled across the ground. In the next few moments, almost all of the people present followed.

It was Luo Jin, clutching his shoulder and groaning in pain. Shang knelt by him without hesitation, and began to assess his injuries, temporarily forgetting his dislike for the man before him. The left side of Jin's face was scratched from his impact with the hard earth and slowly leaking blood, and the shirt beneath his fingers was similarly damaged, revealing a quickly bruising shoulder, out of which the white of bone glared in the light. His collarbone was broken.

"Jin!" Mulan's voice shouted as she, too, rushed to her friend's aid. She stayed back, however, hovering over Shang's shoulder. She had no medical training, and was thankfully leaving it to him.

"Get the medic." Shang ordered over his shoulder to no-one in particular, his voice leaving no room for argument. The sound of feet rushing away behind him followed. "Mulan, take the rest of the recruits and continue as normal." Thankfully, she obeyed, and soon the mass of soldiers had moved off.

"The horse's leg is broken." Tso-liang informed Shang, coming to kneel opposite him. Luo Jin had passed out from the pain, and Shang lay him down carefully. Sitting back on his heels, he glanced at the animal. A horse with a broken leg was useless to them, and it would have to be killed. It was a regrettable loss, but nothing would be wasted. The meat would probably go into the cooking pot this evening, the hair and sinew would be used for bowstrings, and the bones would be boiled down into glue for the armoury. It meant more work, however, and they were hard pressed as it was to prepare for the impending war.

-----

The desk in his room was strewn with paperwork. Under normal circumstances it may have been more orderly, with everything systematically stacked and arranged, but Shang's day was taking its toll on what was already a tired and sleep-deprived body. His work had been piling up over the past few days, and now even Luo Jin's injury meant more toil for him, organising his care and re-writing the schedule of guards on watch. And then there was the accommodation for the five-hundred newly arrived soldiers which still needed seeing to…

His eyes were stinging. The dim light offered from the small lamp to his right made the letters swim on the parchment before him, and no matter how many times he blinked, they would not stop moving. It was agitating; these reports needed to be written! Even so, a niggling thought in the back of his mind refused to leave him, or, perhaps, he would not let it. He knew that burying himself in his work was pointless, especially in his current situation, but at least it would temporarily draw his restless mind away from…

_Recent events… _Shang concluded.

The knock which sounded throughout his room startled Shang from the daze he had unwittingly fallen into. For a moment, he sat and wondered how he had not noticed his hand had stopped writing, and sat frowning at the appendage as though it would provide an answer. The knock came again, and finally Shang remembered what he was about, springing from his seat to the heavy wooden door. It was the medic.

"Yes?" Shang asked, distantly noticing the drawn tone of his voice but paying no attention to it.

"The soldier you sent to me has been treated." The medic replied in a voice thick with the heavy accent of the Kashgarian locals. He stayed standing in the doorway.

"And?"

"He has broken bones here," he pointed to his elbow, "and here." A brief touch to the collarbone. It was worse, then, than Shang's initial assessment. Jin would be out of training for several weeks, at least.

"Take me to him."

-----

The medic's wing of the main building was dingier, if possible, than Shang's own room, and he wondered how anyone could treat the sick in such little light. There were three windows lining the wall of the room in which Shang stood, although they were facing north towards the mountains, and very little light made it through to the rows of pallets that lined the room, arranged in long columns. Luo Jin lay beside one of the windows, the meagre light afforded from it illuminating his brow and the scratches which ran across his face. His entire left side was a mass of pale yellow bandages, and the faint outlines of splints could be seen where the daylight hit them, casting faint shadows. From the rise and fall of Jin's chest, Shang could tell that the other man was asleep, probably under the influence of the opium used to kill the pain of his injuries.

Shang didn't often feel pity. His father had often said that pity was for the weak-spirited, but sometimes even Shang couldn't deny the feeling. Even now, he felt sorry that Luo Jin had suffered what he did; horses were large animals, and many an accident involving the beasts had proven fatal if not severely disabling. The agony of breaking a limb was far from pleasant, Shang knew, and their situation, far from their homeland, among strangers and on the brink of war, would hardly make things any better.

Shang crossed his arms with a sigh. Perhaps Luo Jin wasn't such a bad person, and Shang was unjustified in his dislike of the man. Jin certainly hadn't done anything thus far to incite these feelings towards him, and he was well liked among the soldiers. What was it, then, that Shang couldn't stand about him? Jealousy had occurred to him before, but… no, it was most certainly _not_ that, especially seeing as he wasn't even on good terms with Mulan at the moment. Shang mulled over the possibilities, but was left answerless. Maybe it would occur to him after he got some sleep…

The door behind Shang creaked on its worn iron hinges, alerting him to the presence of another. Mulan poked her head in, and looked in his direction. From this distance, he could see the slight frown which flitted across her brow upon spotting him; was she displeased that he was here? Maybe she hadn't forgiven him for intervening with her scuffle with the slave driver back in the desert yet. Or, perhaps, was she merely confused that he was watching over Luo Jin, whom he disliked so much? Whatever the reason, he wasn't going to hang around. Almost immediately after seeing her, he whirled towards the door, schooling his face into a stoic mask and strode forward. She seemed to hesitate briefly just before he brushed past her, as though she was going to reach out and catch him by the arm but decided against it. He walked to the door straight backed, the very image of a military leader.

"Shang," Mulan's voice called from behind him.

He stopped in mid step, his back to her. Was she going to apologise? He highly doubted it, but he would listen anyway.

"Thank you," she continued quietly, a hint of what sounded like relief tinting her voice, "for taking care of Jin."

'Taking care of Jin?' Who said he was doing anything of the sort? He only came to check the medic had done a proper job…

Shang left the room without looking back. Had he done so he might have seen the smile on her face.

-----

A/N: Another chapter done and dusted! Thankfully, I've had enough time off to be able to get this up just before Christmas, and I hope I have done a sufficient job for everyone on the story. Of course your reviews will help me get a move on and post the next chapter sooner, so please, write a review for me! Consider it a Christmas present, if you will.

Well, to all of my readers, Merry Christmas and a Happy New Year!

icedragon6171


	10. Chapter 10

DISCLAIMER: this chapter doesn't belong to me!!!!!!!It belongs to **icedragon6171**!!

Please make sure you read the notice below about the attempted rape scene!!!

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Disclaimer: All characters in this story are the rightful property of Disney, except for Luo Jin and Captain Hsiao Tso-liang, who belong to me :)

A/N: Just a note on historical background - General Su Dingfeng was an actual person, and had a part in upcoming events which will become clearer later. I will add my own embellishments to his character, as I have nothing to go by save one quote and his whereabouts at this particular point in history.

**WARNING: **This chapter contains attempted rape. If readers are uncomfortable with or upset by the subject, please skip forward when you see '_**SKIP**_'

**Towards the Setting Sun**

Chapter 10

Mulan hadn't known that firing a bow from the back of the horse could be so difficult. She had been practising all evening, riding Khan around the training fields and taking shots at a target placed at the opposite end, yet so far only a handful of arrows had found their mark. There was so much to take into account; her own movement in relation to the target, the jolts of the horse's run, aim and countless other factors. Even so, if there was one thing Mulan was certain of, it was that she would be perfect by the time they left for the west, in four months time.

Mulan withdrew her hand from the pommel of Khan's saddle in order to nock another arrow to the string of her bow. Steering the horse with her knees, she made for another pass, taking aim as she went. She let the arrow fly…

… It missed, again, and skittered away into the darkness.

Mulan sighed in disappointment, drawing Khan to a stop and dismounting. She'd give up for tonight; it was late, and both she and Khan were tired. She bent to retrieve a few stray arrows that had fallen short of the target, some of them embedded into the hard soil that was already glistening with frost, and returned them to the quiver. It took several minutes to gather all of them, as the darkness made it difficult to see the bamboo shafts against the grass, even with the lamplight coming from atop the walls. Once done, Mulan slung both bow and quiver onto Khan's saddle, and led him back towards the stables.

The fortress was quiet at this time of night. Only a few soldiers were still awake, on watch, and those that she passed she offered a nod of greeting to. Most returned the gesture, but the occasional one would ignore it entirely, although Mulan was beyond caring. She was a captain of the Imperial Army now, and there was no need to get upset over something so trivial.

After seeing Khan settled, Mulan followed the familiar path back to her room, which was situated among those of all of the other military officials currently garrisoned here. The infirmary was in the same building, also, and Mulan made a mental note to visit Luo Jin in the morning. His collarbone was healing gradually, but he was already back on his feet and quite mobile after having been confined to his bed for several days. It was a relief to Mulan, to say the least; the time she spent without him was lonely, even more so seeing as she was still on uncertain terms with Shang. Fortunately, however, Jin would be discharged soon, and then things would return back to normal. Or so she hoped.

-----

The Kashgar bazaar was a daunting place to be lost in, and more often than not that was exactly how Mulan found herself. It didn't help much that the stalls that lined the cramped streets all looked the same as each other and their arrangement made navigation difficult, not to mention the crowds of milling Kashgarian locals who frequented them. Luckily for Mulan, however, she wasn't alone as she had been _that_ time – she had made sure she had company for this excursion, in the form of Chang Hsin-pao, whose large frame would at least make any would-be attacker think twice before trying anything.

The locals were a curious group of people, and so alien to Mulan that she preferred to avoid them if possible. Their general bad temper was famous for many _li_, as well as their lack of decorum and low esteem for learning, but what was most peculiar about these people was the startling green shade of their eyes, which were like chips of emerald as opposed to the dull brown of her own. Their appearance took some getting used to, and even now Mulan had difficulty hiding her curiosity as she tried to negotiate the price of a small group of horses. With all of the soldiers arriving at the fortress, and the need for cavalry still unfulfilled, every available horse in the surrounding area was being bought. Unfortunately, at this late point in the year there were few available, despite their location in the centre of a wide expanse of breeding pastures. This particular merchant with whom Mulan was attempting to negotiate was proving to be uncooperative, demanding an unfair price for horses that were untrained and in a barely acceptable condition. Nevertheless, they were still needed, and she eventually reached an agreement with the man, although to what extent she was being ripped off was hard to determine. As Sun Tzu said, 'Those who are near an army sell at high prices.'

Hsin-pao was quiet, as usual, on their trip back up the hillside to the fortress, the horses they had purchased led by ropes attached to the saddles of their own mounts. In Luo Jin's absence these past weeks Mulan had taken to keep company with the next most familiar person, and while Hsin-pao was hardly the best substitute for Jin she felt she could trust him. He respected her both for who and what she was, even though, like many of the soldiers Mulan found herself among these days, he had been sceptical at first. Their journey here had changed that.

The sight of newly arrived soldiers streaming into the fortress was not an unfamiliar one anymore, and this was what greeted Mulan and her companion as they rounded the last hairpin bend in the road leading towards the gate. It hadn't been since her arrival at Wu Zhong that Mulan had witnessed the Imperial cavalry, and currently what must have been at least five-hundred soldiers mounted on Imperial stallions were making their way up the road, like a great white snake. Mulan exchanged a wordless glance with Hsin-pao, and almost simultaneously they spurred their horses forward into a gallop. They charged past the baggage train and rear guard towards the head of the line, where Mulan could see the barest glimpse of red capes – the command – beneath a standard bearing the Emperor's insignia identical to the one hung above the fortress gate.

Slowing her horse down in front of the gate, Mulan waited for Hsin-pao to catch up, and then untied the rope leading the horses from her saddle and handed it to him.

"Take them to the stables and arrange for their care and training. I'll be there soon." He merely nodded in reply, and disappeared inside the fortress.

Khan shifted where he stood as rows of men and horses passed them, tossing his great head now and then. She lay a hand on his wide neck to calm him, while she waited for the men under the banner to approach. There were five men, it seemed, in command of this force – a general bedecked in ornate armour, and four captains. Mulan caught the eye of the general as he came, and he nodded in reply, peeling away from the ranks to greet her.

"Captain Fa Mulan, I presume?" He asked, and Mulan gave a nod of affirmation, although she was slightly curious as to how he knew her. His voice was strangely hoarse, but was commanding all the same. He removed his plumed helmet, revealing more clearly his aged and battle worn face. The light illuminated his greying hair, lending him the appearance of wisdom. He looked kindly enough, although it was too early to tell what kind of person he was.

"I am General Su Dingfeng," the older man said, proffering a slight, friendly smile. "I knew your father, when he was in the military. He was a good man, and an excellent soldier, and so, I hear, are you."

"I was lucky." Mulan replied, blushing and looking away modestly. Strange that she should behave like a shy maiden now, when she was the captain of the Imperial army and ready to go off to war. It gave her a small amount of hope; she wasn't _necessarily _doomed to remain unmarried for the rest of her life.

General Su chuckled a deep chuckle at her reaction. "I would very much like to engage you in a proper conversation, sometime, but for now I have my men to attend to." He said, turning his horse to the gate. He glanced back at her briefly before asking, "Who is in charge here?"

"Sha-…" She caught herself. "General Li Shang."

The older man cast a curious glance in her direction, his brows drawn into a half-frown. Did this man have some sort of problem with Shang? Silence stretched between them briefly. General Su cleared his throat to speak, but the hoarseness was still there.

"Really?"

"Yes."

He didn't reply. The frown on his face deepened for a moment as he surveyed his troops, broodingly silent. Then, without a word, he rode off into the crowd, leaving her alone by the open gate.

_What was that about? _Mulan wondered, her own brow creasing. _I suppose I'll find out eventually…_

Mulan glanced towards the sky, trying to gauge the time from the position of the sun. She was meant to be leading a training session in hand-to-hand combat about now. The sky was overcast, however, which made it hard to tell what time it was, but after several moments of inspection, she located the faint glow behind the grey. She frowned. That meant that…

_Ah! _Mulan's mind jumped in realisation, _I'm late!_

_**(SKIP)**_

After the afternoon's training session, the soldiers had been allowed the evening in the city, which, Mulan presumed, would probably be spent drinking in the local inns. She, too, had the evening to herself, although it had been a close call. Her trip to the city this morning and brief stop at the gate had made her late for the training that afternoon. Thankfully, however, she had arrived before anyone of higher rank had noticed she was absent. Had she been found so she would probably have been assigned to some awful task for the evening; captains weren't exempt from punishment, she had found. After that, the afternoon had passed without incident, much to her relief.

So, she found herself once again riding around the training fields, taking shots at the very same target as the night before. She was having more luck this time, and had already managed to score a near-centre hit with four of her arrows. A substantial number still missed their mark, though, but every small triumph raised her spirits all the same.

Mulan paused to briefly assess her success, and give Khan a scratch on the neck, eliciting a snort of appreciation from him. She had done enough for tonight, and seeing as her instruction from Shang had been put on hold until the last of the soldiers they were expecting to come had arrived, she supposed she could go and pay Luo Jin a visit. She had been planning on doing so anyway.

There was no need for that.

Mulan had just finished brushing Khan down and settling him into a stall for the night, as apparently even the stable-hands had taken the night off. She was alone save for the horses, standing in the dim lamplight near one end of the long building. Just as Mulan gave one final pat to Khan's nose, however, a shadow spread across the floor to seep up the side of the wall opposite Mulan. She turned. It was Jin, one hand against the doorframe and silhouetted by the lamps beyond. The bandages of his sling made for a stark reminder of what had befallen him.

"Jin." Mulan greeted, a smile on her face. At least she wouldn't have to make the trek up to the infirmary now that he had found her.

"Mulan," He replied in turn, gesturing for her to follow him. She did so, stepping out into the chill night with him by her side. They walked in silence for a while, crossing the courtyard and heading down the side of the fortress's main building, out towards the walls.

"How are you doing?" Mulan asked him, eventually, as they approached a set of stairs leading up to the wall walk. She led the way up them, regarding him out of the corner of her eye. They stopped in the shadow of one of the guardhouses lining the wall top, and looked out onto Kashgar where it lay faintly glowing.

"Fine…" He replied softly. Under normal circumstances, Mulan might have been worried about his quietness, but after his injury he had become more and more withdrawn every time she saw him. Mulan didn't know the reason for this, but she wasn't going to press him for an answer. In time, she was sure, he would recover.

"I met the General who arrived today," Mulan said, trying to keep up the conversation. A breeze caused her tunic to ripple around her; she had forgone her cloak for training – it was simply too awkward – but now she wished she had it with her. She crossed her arms in a vain attempt to keep warm while she gazed out over the city below. "He said he knew my father, back when he served in the army…"

Moonlight suddenly washed over them, and Mulan raised her head to see the cloud cover break to reveal the moon's pale face. She raised a hand to point at it, a smile on her face as she turned to Jin, but by then it had already vanished into the shadows.

Jin was staring at her, and his eyes looked almost… hungry.

"Jin?" She asked, concerned. Was he ill? Did he need her to get help for him?

As though brought to life by her voice, he moved towards her. Nothing could have shocked her more than what he did next.

He kissed her.

Mulan froze. What was he doing? He knew as well as she that it was improper for him to anything of the sort when they weren't married, even if they weren't under… _normal _circumstances. Besides which, he was her best friend, and she certainly didn't feel that way about him. Regaining the power to move, she pushed at his shoulders and forced him away from her. He looked down at her with confused eyes, panting.

She could smell the wine on his breath. Where did he get alcohol though? Surely the medic wouldn't have provided it for him. Perhaps one of the other soldiers had smuggled it in to him. After all, the inactivity he was being forced to endure must have been difficult for one who was normally so lively. Presently, however, Mulan had more important things to think about.

"Jin?" She asked again, keeping her hands on his shoulders.

He didn't reply, instead trying once more to gain purchase of her lips.

"No! Jin, stop!" Mulan protested.

He merely kept on, relentlessly. Mulan drew back, just enough to deliver a stinging slap to his cheek. He froze. Even in the dark Mulan could see the red seep into his skin where she had struck him. Somehow, she knew she would regret that.

His eyes rose to fix her own with a stare. Something about them had changed, and now she could see the barely concealed anger that lurked there, as well as the desire.

He lunged at her, and before she could move, he had forced her up against the stone wall of the guardhouse, her head cracking painfully against the stone with the force of his movement. Before she could draw breath, her lips were assaulted with the full force of Jin's pent up passion. She struggled, futilely, against his grasp; even with only one arm he was stronger than she was, and she was dizzy with pain. An awful sense of raw fear overtook her. If only there were someone who could help her – a soldier on patrol, a fellow captain, the cook, _anyone _– but almost every living soul was either in the town or the building complex.

Tears pricked the corners of her eyes even as Jin's single hand roved up the side of her arm to shoulder, then down to her chest…

Suddenly, he was gone, and she slumped limply to the floor. The world was spinning before her eyes, but she could make out the blurred shapes of two figures in front of her. More clearly, she heard the sound of a fist striking flesh, and one of the figures crumpled and fell to the floor. Whoever had come to her aid had his back to her while they delivered a kick to the prone figure's head, no doubt blasting them into unconsciousness. Her own head was pounding still and she closed her eyes as though to block out the pain. It didn't work. She raised a tingling hand to the back of her skull, only to feel it come away damp, and sticky with blood. She was bleeding.

She felt gentle hands take her by the shoulders and pull her into a sitting position.

"Mulan?"

She didn't think it was possible to be so happy to just hear Shang's voice. She opened her eyes again to see his concerned face, wreathed in shadow, come into focus. She couldn't help the sob that choked itself out of her throat, or the tears that seemed to spring from her eyes. Her shoulders quaked as the full realisation of what had transpired came to her, like a delayed reaction.

Shang seemed uncertain and nervous at first, as though unsure what to do, but then he wrapped his arms around her shaking form, and waited for the tears to subside.

_**(End)**_

If the day before had been overcast, then this day was positively black. The sky was a stormy patchwork of roiling clouds, ready to unleash the fury of the heavens on those gathered below in the courtyard of the fortress. A post had been erected in the early hours of the morning, and now every soldier garrisoned there was assembled to witness the punishment of Luo Jin, Mulan's former friend, and, as of the night before, assailant. It was a crime to assault a military official, and one punishable by death. Had Mulan not intervened, that would have been Jin's penalty. However, even after what he had done, Mulan couldn't bear to see her childhood friend die.

The whip cracked again, shortly followed by Jin's agonised scream as he received another lashing. He was being made an example of, Shang had explained to her, to act as a warning to any who would think to do the same. Then, after his punishment was received, he would be discharged from the army and sent home, dishonoured. Maybe, then, Jin would have preferred death; his family were prestigious, and would not look twice at a son who had disgraced their name. It was bad enough that he had been Mulan's friend.

Another crack, another scream. Mulan winced, trying to stop her hands from shaking. Two hundred lashes. How many more were there now? This seemed to be going on forever, and every howl of pain drove another nail into her heart. She wanted to run to some remote place, away from this, but as a figure of authority and the victim of Jin's crime she needed to make an appearance. She only wished she had the same fortitude as Shang, who stood beside her, wearing a mask of stone and watching the proceedings with a stern eye, while she stood staring at the ground, shivering pathetically with remembered fear. He was probably secretly enjoying this, knowing how he disliked Jin so much and enjoyed to torment him. She wouldn't hold that against him, however; he was the one who had saved her from a much worse fate than a blow to the head. Her whole body shook, and dimly Mulan wished that this would be finished before her legs buckled beneath her.

The thud of a sword severing the ropes tying Jin's wrists to the post signalled the end, and Mulan raised her eyes to see Jin's limp form get dragged up and taken to the open gate by two guards. Now, with his back turned, Mulan could see the full extent of the damage. What greeted her eyes was a bloody mess of shredded skin. It would scar him for life, if he survived the trek back across the desert, and that way everyone would know what he had done.

The two men dragging Jin dropped him onto the dusty road outside the gate, before turning and marching back in. Jin, beyond, struggled up onto his hands and knees, his injured arm hanging limply by his side, even as the huge wooden gates began to close. Sitting back on his haunches, he seemed to stare at his hands for a moment, the gates drawing steadily closed behind him. Just before they shut, he turned to look over his shoulder, and caught her gaze, just or a split-second.

The gates shut with a resounding bang, sealing away the image of Jin's bloodied form. That would be the last Mulan ever saw of him.

-----

A/N: So, Jin is gone! I hope no one hates me for doing that or anything. He was always intended as a temporary character.

I also apologise for the rather cliché rescue; I know everyone does this kind of thing, but it is necessary I'm afraid.

I'd love to get some feedback on this chapter (and the rest of the story too!). Did it move too fast, was it predictable, cliché, etc. etc. I'd really appreciate it if you could include something I could improve on, but unending praise is always nice!

Until next time!

icedragon6171

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Sooo... a new chapter posted!!! When I first read this story I thought Luo Jin was up to no good from the start... I was glad when he got thrown out of the army!! (You might think I'm mean...but in my opinion people shouldn't allow alcohol to change the way they normally behave, that's irresponsible, and the cause of Luo Jin's doom...! Although I think that he would have tried to have his way with Mulan sooner or later, with, or without alcohol).


	11. Chapter 11

DISCLAIMER: this chapter doesn't belong to me either!! It belongs to **icedragon6171**!!

Remember you can review this chapter here or go to my profile and click on the corresponding link!!(I know I have said thins a lot of times but it's just to make sure you don't forget!!!:))

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Disclaimer: All characters in this story are the rightful property of Disney, except for Luo Jin and Captain Hsiao Tso-liang, who belong to me :)

**Towards the Setting Sun**

**Chapter 11**

It was bitterly cold, and snow was falling in thick flurries on the sides of the towering mountains surrounding Kashgar, their ragged peaks rising to claw at the clouded heavens. Amid everything, twelve tents sat, minute and flea-like on the side of one ageless colossus, resolutely sitting out the bad weather.

The arrival of winter had meant the imminent shortening of the time frame in which the rest of their reinforcements were to arrive, and with the war so close at hand they could barely afford to be short of even the smallest number of soldiers. So, it fell down to someone to go and inspect the passes leading through the mountains, and, if necessary, aid anyone caught there.

Mulan had immediately volunteered.

It was almost a month since the incident, but yet she still found herself preoccupied by it. Luo Jin had been her best friend, after all, and no matter what he did she felt that she still cared for him, although perhaps not in the way he had wished for. The shift from his constant presence to complete absence had come as quite a shock, and, though Shang had tried to keep her company, she had still felt lonely in the weeks that followed his departure.

And so here she was, huddled up in several layers of blankets and trying to tear her mind away from recent events. 'The Art of War' scroll lay spread across the floor of the tent, dimly illuminated by a small lamp that hung from the tent pole above Mulan's head. Although it was still day, the snow that had fallen on her tent blocked out most of the light, and weighed down the canvas, which bulged unsettlingly inwards. Fortunately for her, though, her tent was made of much sterner stuff than that of the eleven others with her, who no doubt were battling with the weather to keep their tents from collapsing.

Heaving a sigh, Mulan rubbed her hands together in a vain attempt to warm them. She had lost feeling in the tips of her fingers hours ago, but no matter how hard she tried to revive them, they remained stubbornly numb. Although Mulan had spent several weeks in the mountains during the Hun invasion, the period of time in between then and now had caused her to forget what it was like. Had she known it would be this bad she might have prepared better…

_It's too late for that, _Mulan though solemnly, giving a finger an experimental squeeze. The colour drained from it for a second, before sluggishly creeping back. _I'll just have to put up with it and hope I don't get frostbite…_An image of her fingers blackened from the cold floated past her mind's eye, and she grimaced inwardly, curling her hands up together as if to protect them from that fate.

A soft rap against the stiff canvas of the tent entrance startled Mulan momentarily, and her eyes darted to the source of the sound. A large shadow stood waiting for her answer.

She stood, nearly tripping over the trailing ends of her blankets, and made her way to the entrance. After a brief moment's fumbling with unfeeling fingers, she managed to loosen the ties holding the tent flaps closed. The frigid winds threw them open, and in stumbled a snow covered figure, shrouded in a cloak and carrying a small bundle. Mulan wrestled with the tent flaps once more as the figure shook the snow off, dusting the floor with specks of white.

"I brought you your meal, Captain."

Captain Hsiao Tso-liang emerged from the mass of clothing, his silvering hair sprinkled with now melting snow. He smiled amicably at her while handing her the bundle he held, before sinking to the floor. She followed suit, still shrouded in her blankets, and unwrapped the bundle, revealing some dumplings that were still warm despite the cold outside.

"Thank you." Mulan said, picking up the first of the dumplings. The warmth seeped through her chilled fingertips as she took a tentative bite, careful not to drop anything. Tso-liang was silent while she ate, staring interminably at a point on the floor, his brows ever so slightly creased as he thought. Mulan was curious as to what was on his mind, but did not know how to put words to her question; the captain across from her was as of yet still a stranger to her, even though they had been travelling together for just over a week. He had been sent with her at Shang's request, to lend her his experience, and, she suspected, to protect her as well.

"So, what do you think?" Tso-liang asked suddenly, his gaze rising slowly to meet hers. His eyes were grave, and Mulan was momentarily confused.

"Oh," She stuttered, groping for words. The rations they were given weren't great, but perhaps he was looking for a compliment. "They were very filling. Thank you."

He regarded her with puzzlement, his gaze boring into her such that she began to feel she had said the wrong thing. Just as she was about to apologise, his short bark of laughter interrupted her, and the colour began to rise in her cheeks. Was this a joke?

"Not the dumplings!" He chuckled, before composing himself, the smile disappearing from his face. "I meant the war, and our current situation."

"Oh…" She paused to gather her thoughts, and try to force the burning in her cheeks to subside. "Well, I think that with the current weather we may find it difficult to get all of the troops that we need, and considering the number we are up against, I think that we will find the opposition a challenge to overcome. However…" She raised her eyes to meet the other Captains', gauging his reaction. He nodded for her to continue. "I think we _can _overcome them, if we are sensible with our approach. We still need more time to train the troops, and to formulate a viable strategy, so it would be pointless to rush our attack. Nonetheless, we need to be ready should they come here before we move out."

Silence followed her, as Tso-liang took in her words.

"Are you scared?"

Mulan looked to where the man sat, unsettled by his question. His eyes betrayed no malicious feeling, and his voice had sounded honest. Bringing her knees up to her chin and wrapping her arms around them, she contemplated her answer. _Was _she scared? She hadn't really had enough time to think about the war and it's possible consequences, seeing how busy she had been in the present. She could die, here, in Kashgar or in the lands of the Turks, she realised.

"Yes." She replied, her voice quiet.

"I know. I am too."

"You are?" Somehow, she couldn't quite understand how a veteran such as Captain Hsiao could feel fear for something he had spent so long doing.

"Yes," He admitted, casting his gaze down to his calloused and battle-scarred hands where they lay resting in his lap, half-curled. "And any man who says he isn't is a fool. When it comes to it, none of us want to die."

Mulan cocked her head and wormed a hand through the blankets around her shoulders to brush a few strands of displaced hair behind her ear, before returning it to the cavernous warmth the blankets provided. "Then why come here? If you don't want to die, then surely it would be safer to stay at home, right?"

Tso-liang shook his head, as though correcting her on something she didn't quite understand, a wry smile distorting the pale scar on his cheek. "It's not as simple as that. I will die, if that is what it takes, to protect those back home." He raised his eyes to hers, the smile disappearing from his face. The light from the lamp reflected back at her from his eyes, making them appear, for an instant, like molten iron. "Consider it a sacrifice for the safety of those you love."

"That sounds like something my father would say…" Mulan muttered, half to herself. Nostalgia began to set in even as the words passed her lips.

"Do you miss your family?" Tso-liang asked, a knowing yet sympathetic look in his gaze. Mulan was briefly unbalanced by his perceptiveness, but gathered herself enough to offer a jerky nod in answer to his question.

"I didn't think it would be so bad…" Mulan whispered. "Before, I didn't know what they would think of me after I ran away to join the army, and it was easier to forget, knowing that they might not take me back. This time though…" She paused to take a shaky breath, exhaling it again in a faintly billowing cloud. "I'm so far away from home, and I know that they're waiting for me to come back. Sometimes, I just feel so lonely…"

"But you aren't alone."

"No. I have Shang and… well, I did have Jin, too, before…" She turned her face away, the silence speaking louder than her words ever could have. Tso-liang had attended the whipping, after all, and knew of Jin's deeds as well as the next person. "…But he's gone as well, now."

"And you would rather he hadn't, then?" Tso-liang's voice was quiet and careful, as though he were heading into unsure territory. Mulan offered him a sideways glance, measuring his tone. If she said something now, might it be used against her? The other captain merely sat there, unperturbed by her scrutiny yet appearing entirely sincere.

"Jin was a friend of mine, from my village, and despite what he did I think I could probably forgive him." She heaved an irritated sigh, disconcerted at how her eyes were beginning to sting. She didn't want to cry in front of this man; he'd probably think her a hysterical woman and send her home, and at the moment that was the last thing she wanted. She'd be damned if she had come this far for nothing.

"I don't know!" She muttered, a mixture of both anger and sorrow bleeding into her voice. She disentangled a hand to scrub at her eyes with the back of her wrist. "I don't understand why he did what he did, and I wish I knew. Maybe then I wouldn't feel as though it's my fault…"

"You can't be held accountable for the actions of others, Mulan." Tso-liang reassured her, his voice gentle, almost fatherly.

"But if I had never come here in the first place, he would have never been thrown out of the army." She stopped long enough to draw a shaky breath, and sink her chin into the cradle of her arms. "Shang never wanted me to come, either. He never said anything, but I knew that was what he was thinking. I should have taken notice sooner…"

The sound of shifting material drew Mulan's eyes back to the captain, where he now sat with legs crossed and his chin resting in one palm. A moment's silence stretched between them, and with each second, the weight of Captain Hsiao's gaze seemed to grow heavier, until Mulan could barely stand it.

"General Li speaks very highly of you, for one who would rather you be back at home."

_What?_ Mulan didn't know what to say, any words she had in mind instantly swept away by the Captain's casual statement. Her heart thrummed ever so slightly louder in her ears.

"I think you are of more value to him than you know, Captain Fa."

Mulan's mind slowed, struck dumb by the Captain's words. All attention turned inwards upon her thoughts. _What did he mean?_

The cold slap of the outside air against her face roused Mulan from her stupor, and she looked up to find the tent flap open and Captain Hsiao gone. She leapt to her feet in an instant, dropping the blankets that she had kept clutched to her shoulders, and hurried to look outside, ignoring the sting of the wind as it blew though her thin clothing. The Captain was merely a shadow against the falling blanket of snow.

"Wait!" She called, unsure of whether her voice would carry over the whistle of the wind. The figure stopped, half turned to face her. "What do you mean?"

The reply was faint, and though the weather battled against her, there was no mistaking what she heard.

"Isn't it obvious?"

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A/N: I'm not dead! I sincerely apologise to everyone for the long wait, but work has been piling up as I approach the dreaded exam season once more.

This was a short chapter, I know, but I think it was time I wrote a more insightful chapter. I promise you that the next one will be longer!

Thank you to all of the lovely people who reviewed my story. You really did give the push I needed to keep going.

Please tell me what you think, and offer any advice you have to give!

icedragon6171

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I hope you liked this chapter as much as the others! Although it was shorter, I thought it was just as good!!! :)


	12. Chapter 12

DISCLAIMER: this chapter doesn't belong to me either! (Although I'm pretty sure you all know that by now :)!!)

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Disclaimer: All characters in this story are the rightful property of Disney, except for Luo Jin and Captain Hsiao Tso-liang, who belong to me :)

A/N: No, your eyes are not deceiving you, I have actually updated! (Shock! Horror!) And yes, as I promised, this is a nice _long _chapter for you all. The longest I've written!

Anyway, before we begin, I'd like to say that chapters 3 and 10 have been modified. However, it's nothing completely plot altering, so it's not necessary for people to go back and read again.

Now, before you all die of impatience, I present chapter 12.

**Towards the Setting Sun**

Chapter 12

The fortress seemed almost abandoned. It was late in the year now, the snow piled thickly in the courtyard that Shang slowly trudged across. The guards on duty were nowhere to be seen, the only sign of their presence being the dim glow of lights inside the guardhouses dotted along the walls. It suited him well enough, especially when he needed time to think, and by now the other soldiers knew to leave him to his own devices.

Thankfully, the snowfall had stopped for now, although how long the reprieve would last was anyone's guess. In the past few days, it had been falling so thickly that one could not see further than their own outstretched arm, forcing the entire fortress to cease all activity and take shelter indoors, huddled around braziers and buried underneath blankets. The chill was enough to make Shang's bones ache, and the twinge in his ankle was growing steadily sharper. He had twisted after slipping on the icy steps leading up to the wall walkway, earning himself a visit to the medic and a few sniggering glances from some of the soldiers. Apparently even their esteemed general could be defeated by ice, no matter how great he was deemed to be in battle. After that, Shang had learnt to watch his feet.

Shang stopped on the wall above the gate. Off to his left the town glimmered dimly from where it was sprawled down in the valley. The imposing mountain peaks loomed up to the right, scraping the low clouds where they hung, grey and oppressive. Somewhere among them, the small party led by Mulan and Captain Hsiao would probably have set up camp in the snow, taking shelter from the elements.

Two weeks had passed since Mulan had left the fortress, and with each passing day Shang's trepidation increased. People frequently became lost in the mountains, and while the task set them had been necessary, it was still foolish. Shang suspected that Mulan had been out of sorts when she had accepted the task, and still in shock as to recent events. No doubt she had seen it as an opportunity to take some time to order her troubled mind - something Shang was familiar with - but to trek off into the mountains when the snow was so close at hand seemed ridiculous. Despite that, however, he wouldn't have tried to dissuade her, no matter what he felt. It was best to let her go, under the watchful eye of Captain Hsiao, and wait for her return, hoping, praying that she would be safe.

And what if she wasn't? He would be the one to report her demise to her waiting family, the very people who had entrusted him with the safety of their only daughter.

The people who, like him, waited, and hoped, and prayed that she would come back alive.

Disliking the morbid turn of his thoughts, Shang bent his mind to more pleasant musings, such as the qualities of her smile – her _real _smile, not the half-hearted one she had offered him upon her departure. That smile spoke of happiness, her emotions displayed clearly in the curve of her lips and the light that shone in her eyes. In those moments, her cheerfulness was contagious, and before long the corners of _his _lips would twitch up into the semblance of a smile, too, though his was pale and lifeless in comparison. Truthfully, he doubted his face even knew of the kinds of smile she gave, and he was often too reserved to begin to try and imitate it.

The crunch of a booted foot in the snow jolted Shang from his daydreams so forcefully that the twinge in his ankle returned with a vengeance. Shang found himself caught between whirling to face whoever was approaching and clutching at the injured appendage, resulting in a rather uncomfortable hunched position against the battlement. Blood rushed to his cheeks even as he dared a glance over his left shoulder. What would the soldiers make of this predicament? A General was meant to be alert, an example for others to follow, not lost in a whimsical daydream.

It was General Su Dingfeng.

Shang straightened immediately, turning to face the elder man awkwardly on his painful ankle, and gave a short bow. His heart was beating quickly, not because of his clumsiness but rather from nervousness. Over the past few weeks, Shang had made every effort to avoid one-on-one contact with this man, and had been successful in doing so. Apparently, however, his luck had run out.

"…General Li Shang," His greeting held every ounce of the coolness expressed in his gaze. It had always been this way, for as long as Shang could remember.

"…Sir." Shang's reply was strained, formal, despite the fact that he had known this man for many, many years. He remained rigid as the elder man came to stand beside him, and look out, as he had done, over the city.

"I heard about what happened to your father." He paused long enough to flick his eyes over Shang, as though to gauge his reaction, before continuing in the same cool voice, "I am sorry for your loss." Somehow, despite the kind nature of the words, they held little weight, and fell hollow and worthless upon Shang's ears.

"He died doing what he believed was right. He wouldn't have wished it any other way." It was what Mulan had said to him once, what seemed like so long ago but was in reality only a couple of months before. However, Shang could not gather the same conviction with which Mulan had said them, and in the end it sounded equally as meaningless as General Su's words before.

General Su's eyes turned to meet his own, and a glint of something fierce lurked within them. "One never learns how to stop mourning the death of a loved one."

Shang kept his mouth shut. To do otherwise would have been foolish, no matter how pointed the jibe or how angry it made him.

The General turned his gaze back to the nightscape, absently flicking snow from the top of the wall out of the sphere of lamplight and into the darkness. "I talked to your new Captain, the woman warrior."

That snapped him out of his dark thoughts. "When?"

"As I arrived, she came from the town. She is an interesting woman." Again, he levelled his gaze upon Shang, though the earlier perceived ferocity was gone, replaced instead by somewhat genuine interest. "Is it true she destroyed the Hun army with only a single cannon?"

"Yes." He had to resist the urge to smile with pride, even though in his memories he had been anything but proud when Mulan had run headlong towards the charging Huns with what was, at the time, their last hope of survival.

"But," General Su continued, the pitch of his voice dropping, "is it also true that you, her commanding officer, left her in the mountains, wounded and defenceless?"

It was painful to admit, most of all to himself, but he would be damned before he lied to this man. "…Yes."

The elder man drew a deep breath but remained quiet, as though he was having an internal monologue, but none of his thoughts were obvious to Shang from his expression. Shang, too, held his tongue and waited.

Finally General Su spoke.

"I think it would be best if she were sent home."

One moment passed, and then another, in which Shang found himself too stunned to speak or even string two coherent thoughts together. It seemed almost impossible to even consider the prospect of sending Mulan home, and Shang found it hard to comprehend how this man could believe it was the best course of action to take. Eventually, his thought processes caught up with him. He drew a breath.

"What?" It came out weaker and more disbelieving than Shang had originally intended, and he suddenly became aware of how much he sounded like a foolish youth, not the General he was meant to be.

"Send her home." Su repeated, his expression as unchanging as the cold mountains surrounding them. "As I understand it, she has caused quite a bit of trouble since she has been here. She would only jeopardise our purpose further if she were allowed to stay."

"She is a good soldier." Shang ground out, "One of my best."

"_She _is also a woman. She could be overpowered by a Turk in a second."

"That woman stopped a Hun charge with only a single cannon!"

"A dumb stroke of luck, I'm sure. Things like that don't happen twice."

Shang had to struggle to keep his temper in check and his voice level. "That may be true, but it saved the Emperor's life, and those of the city's civilians."

"Indeed," General Su conceded, though Shang could tell he wasn't finished. "However, this is hardly a safe environment for her to be in."

"I'll protect her."

General Su cast another assessing look in his direction. "I don't doubt that, but you can't be there to guard her all the time. What if another soldier were to take his chances on her, and you were absent? She would be useless to us then, and then we would have no choice but to send her back." He let out a long sigh that appeared as a billowing white cloud before his mouth in the cold air. "When a tree becomes diseased, the afflicted limb is cut off at the base before the whole tree falls. I propose we do the same, before we regret it."

"Mulan is not a 'disease'. We need her." Shang said, though he realised he was grasping at straws. This man had obviously planned his arguments.

" 'We'? The army has plenty of soldiers, Shang. 'We' do not need her any more than we need this snow. No," General Su replied, his voice dropping almost conspiratorially and his eyes glittering with a sort of understanding that made Shang feel incredibly uncomfortable. "I think _you _are the one who needs her."

And with that, he turned heel and started along the wall towards the nearest guardhouse, leaving Shang speechless behind him. At about ten paces away, he paused, and turned around.

"I will give her one chance, General Li," He called back, his voice half-muffled by the wind, though his message was clear. "If I hear she has made any further mistakes – _anything at all _– I will send her home. Until then, she is your responsibility."

Shang watched in silence as General Su walked the rest of the way to the guardhouse and let himself in. The anger he had felt earlier had bled away without his notice, and now he felt strangely numb and fatigued. Did he really need Mulan, or was the general trying to make him slip up? He needed more time to think, but the wall held little appeal to him now. In silence, he crossed again the abandoned courtyard, and slipped away to his room.

-----

The next morning was bright, the sun having finally broken from the clouds to reflect blindingly off the fallen snow, though in no way did it reflect Shang's mood. The night had been a sleepless one, though that was not unusual for him. Rather, it was the incessant trail of his thoughts as he analysed again and again in his head General Su's words the night before and the whole problem concerning Mulan. In the end, as first light crept in through his window, he hadn't come to any sort of conclusion on the matter. He felt irritated and, worse, confused about his feelings and intentions. Did he really need Mulan? He hadn't wanted her to come on this campaign in the first place, so why hadn't he tried harder to get her to stay or change her mind?

Shang was supposed to be taking stock of the supplies for their imminent journey to meet the Turk army, yet he hadn't had the patience for the endless paperwork. He had assigned an off duty captain to the task in his stead, even though it would mean more work later to check it had been done correctly. The man had been more than eager to comply after seeing the stormy expression on his face. After that, Shang had made a beeline for the barracks, and, more specifically, the small hall among them where the soldiers were training. He needed to vent his frustration, and some physical exertion would do just that.

The soldiers never saw it coming.

He had dismissed the captains on duty and announced to the assembled soldiers that he would be taking their training today as he shed the heavy cloak and armour. "Consider it a test," he told them. "If you can beat me in combat, you'll be ready to face a Turk."

His announcement was met by a swell of murmurs from the soldiers, who didn't know what to think either about their new instructor or the prospect of facing their General in hand-to-hand combat. They knew, had heard the stories, of General Li's encounter with Shan Yu, the ferocious Hun who had stood head and shoulders above a normal man, was as strong as a bear, could grind rocks to sand with his bare hands… That he had survived it was enough to make some of them break out in sweat.

So it began. The soldiers would face him one by one, armed with either a staff or a sword if they wished, or just with their fists, while the others sparred in pairs around them. Shang found it exhilarating, even though his ankle throbbed dully throughout the exercise. Many of the soldiers were well trained, and once or twice Shang found himself at the receiving end of a blow, though his opponent would be much worse off. Some, however, were poorly matched against him and could only make futile attempts at blocking his attacks. These he sent away with a few stinging words and several bruises. Either way, the activity helped to soothe his turbulent thoughts, and as he went through fluid motions of the forms he had been taught years ago, his frustration bled away, leaving him calm and focused.

It was almost midday when a soldier rushed into the hall, distracting Shang's opponent and allowing him to deliver a hard kick to the man's side, bowling him over. Shang turned to meet the new arrival, guessing from his snow encrusted feet and warm clothing that he had been on guard duty at the gate. The guard approached and gave a short bow.

"A company is approaching the gate, General. We believe it is Captain Fa and Captain Hsiao returning."

Shang nodded to the Guard, who rushed out again, and headed to his discarded armour. Putting it on, he said to the room at large, "Take a break", and departed.

The cold air outside the training hall hit Shang hard as he left, chilling the residual sweat on his forehead and causing a shiver to run the length of his spine and back. Nevertheless, Shang kept a brisk pace to the gate, eager to see whether it was indeed Mulan or merely a group of lost travellers. For the moment, the troubles of the previous night were gone, replaced by an unexplainable need to see she was safe and whole.

Turning into the courtyard, he could see the gates were open, and three guards were waiting in the entrance, looking out onto the road. So far, he was the only senior officer there, which suited him fine. He reached the gate and looked out. As the guard had said, a small group of about twenty people on foot and three laden horses were approaching the gate, and he gave a little smile to see the large form of Captain Hsiao leading the group. Several paces behind followed a much shorter armoured figure he recognised as Mulan, walking beside one of the soldiers. After two weeks of waiting, and hoping, and praying, she had returned.

Captain Hsiao met him first, and they greeted each other with a brief clasping of hands and a smile. He moved to Shang's side and stood to watch the others approach.

"Report?" Shang asked quietly, his eyes on Mulan. She had dropped back to help lead the horses.

"We checked two of the mountain passes to the north and one heading west, General." Hsiao replied seriously, also watching the soldiers. "The first had been struck by avalanche and was completely blocked. By the time we reached the others the snow had set in. There was no sign to be found of any sort of armed forced having passed through. If any reinforcements were coming they'll have turned back."

Shang crossed his arms, but stayed silent. It wasn't all that surprising considering the bad weather they had been experiencing, but it left the army short of the soldiers it so desperately needed. The Turk's army was a difficult opponent due to their expertise in both horsemanship and archery, not to mention the advantage they had with the terrain. However, their tribes would not be able to draw together such numbers as they had here, and that was what the Imperial army was relying upon.

Finally, Shang spoke. "Make sure the horses are stabled and fed, then go to General Su and tell him what you told me. You're dismissed."

As Captain Hsiao went about overseeing the soldiers, Shang approached Mulan where she stood off to his left giving the horse she had been leading a reassuring pat on the neck.

"Welcome back." He said.

He could have sworn he saw her jump, though she masked it by turning smoothly to face him. Her cheeks were rosy from the cold, her lips a little chapped, but otherwise she looked fine. The shadows that had lingered about her eyes were gone, or at least diminished, and she gave him a shy smile. His lip twitched in return.

"Shang."

"The horses are being taken care of by Captain Hsiao." He told her. "Come with me. I need to talk to you."

They paused only to gather her tent and bedroll, before heading off to her quarters. No words passed between them as they walked, though the silence was comfortable. She left her things in her room, and Shang guided her towards the Officers' mess, being aware as he was of the scandal it could cause if they were found alone together in her rooms. After all, she was still a woman and he a man, and the iron rules of society would reach even here, in the cold halls of a military fortress.

When they entered the Officers' mess, it was to find a quiet room except for the muted snores emanating from a sleeping captain on one of the benches by the walls. Shang paid him no heed, though he made a note to talk to the man later about sleeping during the day when everyone else was working. Still in silence, Shang took a seat in a wooden chair that sat beside a battered old table, the surface of which was ruined by several deep knife-made gouges running across it. Mulan sat opposite him, her eyes curious as to what he might have to say.

"How are you feeling?" He began quietly, pinning her with his eyes. All of the concern he had felt for the past two weeks was welling up to the surface. The last time he had seen her she had been only a shadow of her usual self, and it had disturbed him.

Her eyes skittered away to the right, betraying her discomfort. She was quiet for a moment before replying. "…Better. I had a lot to think about."

"Is that why you went?"

"…Yes." She paused to draw a deep breath and let it out in a rush, slumping back in her chair. Her eyes turned up to the rafters, sad. "You were right to dislike him, Shang."

Shang stayed silent, though his lips thinned slightly. His original reason for disliking _him_, Luo Jin, had been because he had known Mulan first. Jin was her friend before they had even met and Shang had been jealous.

"I thought I knew him." Mulan lamented quietly. She dropped her gaze to the table, and proceeded to pick splinters from the cracks. "I guess I thought wrong."

Shang could empathise with her on that. He had felt the same way that night in the Tung Shao pass when her true identity had been revealed. He didn't mention it, though. He merely watched her small fingers pry at the wood. Her hands, though ladylike in size, sported a number of calluses one the fingers and palm, the evidence of her training. In an absurd sort of way, Shang found himself liking them; they were one of the few things he had ever given her.

"Thank you, Shang."

His mind was forcibly dragged back into the room from its momentary wanderings. "What?" He asked, his voice slightly wobbly. He coughed to cover it.

"Thank you for coming to me, that night. For not killing him, though you could have," Her eyes were back on his, earnest. "Thank you for back then, too, with the Huns. For not-…" The end was choked off, though he knew what she would have said.

_Thank you for not killing me, when it was your job to do so. _Shang turned his stare to the floor, shame and regret burning in his chest. _That_ would always hang between them, a constant wedge that kept them apart and stopped them from simply forgetting.

She continued, instead, with: "…For not sending me home."

Shang's brows drew together with the sudden reminder of his conversation with General Su the night before, and the very thing he had tried to avoid thinking about all day. Mulan had grown quiet upon noticing his expression, and he lifted his gaze from the stone floor to see her looking at him with a mixture of curiosity and concern.

"Uh… Actually…" He started, the words somehow hard to find. "General Su wants you sent back home…" Now, judging from the rapidly growing look of hurt and betrayal in her eyes, those were the wrong words to choose. He rushed on, leaning forward in his seat with his hands held out, open, as though to reassure her. "I argued with him. Last night, on the wall." Was that relevant? "I told him… I told him that you were a good soldier – one of my best – and that you had defeated the Huns with a single cannon. I told him that… that we needed you here."

Mulan stared at him for a moment. Eventually, she spoke. "You did?"

He nodded, mute, his words exhausted.

"And what did he say?" She asked, slowly, like she didn't want to hear his answer.

"He said that you have one chance left. If he hears that you have made any sort of mistake, he'll send you back."

She was quiet again, staring intently at the wall as though it held the answer to all of their problems. Across the room, the sleeping Captain rolled over on the bench with a grunt. Shang watched her with equal attention.

"Who is he to you, Shang?" She asked suddenly, her eyes returning again to meet with his.

"What do you mean?" His voice sounded uncertain.

"It's just that, when I met him, he didn't sound too pleased when I mentioned your name. You must know each other, somehow." She leaned forward. "So? Who is he?"

In response to her proximity, he leant back in his chair and crossed his arms. He didn't break her gaze, however, and considered what he should say.

"Well?" She prompted.

"General Su…" He paused, and took a deep breath, and closed his eyes. "He was my mother's father."

Mulan couldn't have looked more surprised had she tried. No doubt she was thinking General Su had been some sort of instructor back when Shang had been in training, or something along those lines. However, even despite the fact that she knew Shang had military forebears, she hadn't seen such a connection coming.

"Your grandfather?"

"He wouldn't call himself that, but yes."

"…Why?"

"My mother died at my birth, and he blamed my father and I for it." He replied, his voice even.

"But that's terrible!" Mulan exclaimed. The captain on the bench grunted again at the volume of her words, but remained asleep.

"There's nothing that can be done. My father tried many times to reconcile with him, to get him to recognise me as his grandson, but he would hear none of it." Shang sighed, and then continued quietly. "It's been this way all my life."

Another silence fell between them, as they each returned to their own thoughts. Through the window filtered the sounds of the army's activity: soldiers crossing swords in practice, a horse's hooves echoing across the paved courtyard, the rhythmic clanging of the blacksmith's hammer in the small forge below them. Everything coalesced to create a throbbing pulse, the heartbeat of the fortress.

At length, Mulan spoke. "So… what do you propose we do?"

"General Su is a hard man to convince of anything. The only thing I can do, as your senior officer, is try to keep you from anything that could get you sent back, without it seeming as though I'm meddling. I can give you advice, if nothing else." Shang sat forward and pinned her with a gaze that held mild warning. "You just need to be careful what you get yourself into. If you make even the slightest mistake, I can't help you. My word holds no power against his."

Another brief silence fell between them.

"No climbing up poles to fetch arrows, then?" Her tone was jesting, though she had schooled her face into the epitome of seriousness.

"No." He said. He had to make an effort to stop the corner of his mouth twitching up into a smile and keep his face blank.

"That's a relief." She laughed. It was only a small giggle really, but it heartened Shang to hear it, and to know that for now she had regained her spirit. Her face broke into a full smile – the true one he remembered, the one he had reflected upon only the previous evening – and Shang found himself returning it.

-----

As the months passed, and winter with them, Shang found himself falling into a routine with Mulan. In the mornings they would pass each other briefly in the halls and exchange greetings, after which she would head off to the training hall to aid in the instruction of the soldiers while he would proceed to fulfil his duties, though they generally alternated between inspecting the fortress and its supplies and large amounts of paperwork. Occasionally he would be required to attend a meeting with General Su and a few of the more experienced captains - Hsiao Tso-liang included – in which the would discuss the upcoming departure and possible strategies, all the while retaining an uncomfortably stiff and formal manner. Then, in the evenings, he would meet up with Mulan again over the tables in the mess hall, and they would talk while they ate, and plan their actions.

Despite his misgivings, Mulan had in fact proved that she could avoid trouble entirely when she set her mind to it – so much so, in fact, that even General Su seemed to be turning his keen eye to other matters, rather than to constantly observe the woman warrior and watch for mistakes. She was quickly proving to be a model captain, well liked by the soldiers under her and praised by the senior officers. Nonetheless, Shang knew that the General's warning still stood, and any ill-fated event that could be attributed to her would have her sent back, no matter what he or anyone else could say against it. General Su held the power over this army, and no one else.

One grey morning, upon which Shang had found himself unlucky enough to be going over a tally of the food stores left to them after the winter, Captain Hsiao strode into his room. When Shang looked at him in askance, the man simply bowed formally, straightened up, and drew breath to speak.

"Orders have been given to ready the army for departure." He said.

"By who?" Shang asked, rising from his seat to face the captain. It was a stupid question with an obvious answer, but it slipped past his lips anyhow.

"General Su issued them this morning. We have three days, he says."

"It's too early." Shang muttered, looking out of his window. The mountains were still heavily blanketed with snow, and a thick layer of fog obscured their peaks. The passes that led through them would probably still be blocked. "The entire campaign will be at risk if we leave so soon. Even the Turks aren't stupid enough to travel in this weather. It's too early."

"I agree with you, but he won't listen--"

"He never listens!" Shang cut in, his voice rising. He crossed the room to where his armour stood on a wooden stand, and quickly put it on. His cape soon followed. "Where is he?" He demanded as he swept out into the hallway. Captain Hsiao hurried after him

"He just left for the town. To find a guide, I believe."

"Very well. I'm going after him. Ensure the gates are open when I get there." Shang instructed, and strode off in the direction of the stables without looking to see whether the other man had gone to do as he asked.

The guard at the stable, a young boy of only sixteen or seventeen years of age, was very alarmed when Shang marched into the stable, and proceeded to stutter and bumble when ordered to fetch his horse. Irritably he waited as the white stallion was saddled and harnessed, and when it was finally delivered to him the boy was scared almost out of his skin from the dark look on his senior's face. Shang mounted without a word, spurred the horse to a canter and headed out of the gate, glad that at least Captain Hsiao had done as asked without delay.

It wasn't long before he caught site of the small party of soldiers on the road ahead of him, though the road had forced him to slow down, muddy as it was from rain and melt water coming down the mountain. General Su wasn't hard to spot, the gold inlay in his armour making him as easy to identify as a white pebble on a beach of black stones. Apparently they had heard the sound of his approach, and had stopped to face him. The three soldiers accompanying the General moved aside to let him pass, though General Su himself remained in place.

"Li Shang," the General began, his tone as cold as it had ever been, "To what do we owe the pleasure of your company?"

"I just received notice of our scheduled departure in three days," Shang replied just as icily. "You'll put us all at risk if we leave now."

"It is what's best."

In his youth Shang had frequently mused that Su Dingfeng was mentally deranged, though he had dismissed that notion as he grew older. Now, however, he found himself wondering whether he had indeed been right.

"How?" Shang asked, incredulous. "We have almost twelve-thousand men, about half that many horses and the supplies to support all of them. To try and cross the mountains when the snow has not yet cleared is madness!"

"It is possible, and it will be done. We cannot let the Turks approach us before we are ready, or we will find ourselves disadvantaged. We either leave now, or not at all."

"The cold will kill us. The horses cannot survive in the mountains and we will die without them." Shang countered. His hands were steadily twisting the leather reins so that they creaked and bit into his skin. "'The Art of War' says that an army should never campaign in the winter."

"'The Art of War' says many things, but they are just guidelines, not iron rules to follow blindly."

Shang was quickly losing his patience. "Guidelines can still prevent needless death, if we heed them." He ground out, though the expression on General Su's face remained as unconvinced than ever. Shang could feel a headache coming on. "Fine, then. What reasons could you possibly have for giving those orders?"

Next to them, the three soldiers shared a glance. One of the horses shifted, champing on the bit loudly in response to the tense atmosphere hanging between the two arguing Generals.

"The fog sheds darkness everywhere, General Li. The wind is icy. The barbarians will not believe that we can campaign in this season." He paused, pinning Shang with a steely look. "Let us hasten to surprise them."

Shang was quiet. What the General said made sense, though the stakes were still high. He was reluctant to agree. "That may be true, but there won't _be _a surprise if we are lost to the mountains," Shang objected. "I think we should wai--"

"We _are _leaving in three days, General Li," Su cut in before the words could finish passing his lips, "and I will not have you interfering. Understood?"

To say that Shang was irritated would be an understatement. To be treated like a child – as this man had always treated him, it seemed – was more than he could bear, especially when he was supposed to be his equal. However, years of experience dealing with him let him know that to try and argue further would be futile, and any efforts on his part would end in utter, humiliating defeat. He kept his silence, though his thoughts were screaming objections, gave a stiff nod, and left.

For now, the soldiers would need another workout.

-----

A/N: Once again, I apologise for the absolutely huge delay between chapters. I have very little excuse, and I am duly shamed. However, I now have a nice long holiday, so I should be able to post a couple more chapters without severe gaps in between. Even so, if you feel I am slacking in my authorly duty to you, as the reader, please feel free to PM me with a reminder.

Reviews are welcome and much appreciated!

icedragon6171

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Sooo...this was indeed a nice long chapter!! I hope you liked it!!! they are finally leaving for war!!!


	13. Chapter 13

DISCLAIMER: this chapter doesn't belong to me either!! It also belongs to the amazing **icedragon6171**!

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A/N: To all my readers, Happy New Year!

Disclaimer: All characters in this story are the rightful property of Disney, except for Luo Jin, Captain Hsiao Tso-liang and Captain Ma Yuan, who belong to me :)

**Towards the Setting Sun**

**Chapter 13**

On the day they left the fortress, the townspeople of Kashgar came to watch. The streets had cleared almost as soon as they had come within sight of the main body of the town, leaving just enough room for the soldiers to pass in rows of six while onlookers crowded in windows and doorways. Women would gather in small groups, some holding infants, and observe them silently while the men lurked on the fringes. Mulan could see that they held little love for the Imperial Army that had occupied the fortress for the past few months, their strange green eyes reflecting their animosity. The streets were silent except for the sound of feet hitting the dirt road; the unspoken agreement of '_As long as you don't start trouble, we won't either' _hung heavily in the air and kept lips firmly sealed.

As one of his captains, Mulan rode beside Shang, while behind them followed the rest of his division of the army. He had something approaching four thousand men under his command, an amount that dwarfed the numbers he had been in control of for Shan-Yu's attack almost a year ago. She, herself, had almost five hundred of those beneath her, all of which she had personally selected and trained over the past few months to excel at both horsemanship and the use of bows. _Although_, she reminded herself, _the Turks will have many more._

Shang was in a dark mood, partly due to his previous insecurities over their early departure westward but mostly because General Su had ordered him to ride with the rear guard rather than at the head of the army as was befitting of his position as General. Although Mulan wouldn't have had a choice either way about where she rode, she sympathised with Shang; the rear guard was subjected to everything the forward ranks – and their horses - left behind, all of it trampled into a thick mud by the passage of thousands of pairs of feet and hooves. The mud itself stuck fast as soon as it came into contact with anything, leaving Shang's white stallion looking more like a piebald, and the man himself finely speckled up to the knees.

Shang, Mulan knew, was a man for whom honour was of the utmost importance, but now she was willing to bet that he felt his had been thoroughly besmirched.

They marched for the best part of the day, following the river westward and only stopping once along the way to water the horses and give the footsore soldiers a rest before heading off again. It was dusk by the time General Su gave the order to make camp, the sun already taking its inevitable plunge towards the horizon. Mulan was glad of it, as the hours she had spent in the saddle had left her with aching legs. After sliding off Khan somewhat awkwardly, given her condition, she handed the reigns to one of her soldiers and took a moment to orient herself. Captain Hsiao was off to her left, supervising the unloading of the supply carts. Shang, the same gloomy look on his face as had been there all day, was directing soldiers to pitch the tents. Without turning around, Mulan could tell that General Su was watching her closely, just as he had for the past few weeks. So, without further ado, she jogged off – albeit a little stiffly – to make herself useful.

Shang found her later on carrying two bucketfuls of water to the cook's tent, and wordlessly took one from her. When she tried to snatch it back, he merely held it out of reach. A short tussle ensued, in which they fought for possession of the buckets while also trying to avoid spilling the contents or laugh too loud. It quickly ended, however, when Shang held the target object above her head and out of reach, though the funny looks they were getting from passing soldiers didn't cease.

"So then," She huffed, resigned to the length of his arms and her own short stature, "has the journey been as bad as you expected?"

"So far, no, but there's plenty of time for something to go badly." He replied, his earlier mirth draining from his face.

"Don't be such a pessimist. I'm sure General Su knows what he's doing-" She ignored Shang's ill disguised snort, "- so there's no need to worry. We'll be fine."

"It's not _us _I'm worried about." He sighed, keeping his voice low. "It's _them._" By 'them', she supposed he meant the soldiers, but perhaps most of all the infantry.

It was Mulan's turn to sigh now. She shifted her lone bucket and gave him a tired glance from the corner of her eye. "Look, Shang, we've done our best to train them, and they trust us to lead them. It's our turn to trust General Su, now." She said in a serious tone that she didn't feel entirely suited her. Switching to lighter one, she continued, "Anyway, however difficult it is, nothing's impossible, right?"

"Well, actually–"

"Oh, hush!" She silenced him, her brow puckered. _So that might have been a little flawed, but…_ She caught sight of his face, and let out a giggle, her frown melting away. He looked almost like a scolded child, his eyes facing the other direction and an expression composed of a strange mix between belligerence and contrition, as though he wanted to believe her point and argue over it all at once. She wouldn't have been surprised to see a pout on his lips – in fact, almost wished there _was _one, just so she could see what it looked like – but instead his mouth was pressed into a thin line. Perhaps he didn't like being laughed at, Mulan realised, as he turned to regard her. He surprised her, however, when the corner of his mouth twitched upwards, just slightly. It wasn't a smile, exactly, but at least she knew he wasn't angry with her.

"Come on, Shang." She said, laughing and bumping shoulders with him before breaking into a gentle jog (her legs hadn't quite forgiven her yet, it seemed) to the cook's tent. Shang didn't increase his pace, but Mulan was heartened by the sound of his quiet laughter following her.

-----

Their meal that evening was a simple affair of plain rice with a dribble of broth for the commanding officers and the lucky few soldiers that arrived early. It was bland, to say the least, but after months of the same Mulan was quite accustomed to it. Even the soldiers, for whom initial groaning at every sitting was customary, would eat without complaint, driven by their stomachs to eat every last grain. She knew from experience that a journey such as the one they were on required every bit of energy one could scrape up, and more often than not the next meal was of more concern than the looming threat of war.

She and Shang sat with the rest of his captains along the length of two camp benches. Including herself, they numbered eight in total, and while Captain Hsiao Tso-liang was the only one she was particularly familiar with, the others were pleasant enough. The majority of them were older than both Shang and herself, much like Tso-liang, though they had no qualms in serving under someone so many years their junior. Of course initially some of them had been less than willing to cooperate with a female captain such as she was, resulting in a few less than subtle comments directed her way. They had eventually come around, though, after she had proven her skills as a captain... and after a stern talking-to from Shang.

Mulan didn't like the fact that she was forced to rely upon him so much. If it weren't for him she wouldn't have any respect from the other captains. If it weren't for him General Su would have sent her home. If it weren't for him she wouldn't have had the opportunity to come in the first place. And Luo Jin…

Perhaps she'd better leave that train of though well alone.

She knew she wasn't weak, and she could cope well enough when she wasn't completely out of her depth. She'd decimated the invading Hun army with a single cannon only a year ago, and fought their feared leader Shan-Yu. She'd come out alive with all but a scar, albeit quite a large and nasty one. She was respected by the Emperor and had now even gained grudging acceptance from her village. The soldiers she commanded here respected and trusted her as their captain, despite the fact she was a woman, and she had trained them to be proficient with the bow and in the art of horsemanship.

Shang needed her, too. She'd saved his life, once, back in the Tung Shao pass, back when she was masquerading as a man. Nowadays she helped him where she could, though he had grown more capable as a man and as a soldier; mostly she would help with paperwork when he had too much to cope with or when he became too sleep-deprived to function properly. She had a good head for tactics, he told her, when they discussed possible strategies to employ against the Turks. He'd even admitted to her that he'd missed her company after their stupid argument back in the desert.

Nonetheless, Mulan resolved, she didn't want to be a liability. She didn't want to have Shang putting himself out to protect her, even though it was reassuring, because he needed to watch his own back too. She would become stronger, so he didn't have to worry any longer.

She was brought out of her musings by the raucous laughter that erupted from the other end of the bench. Captain Ma Yuan, a man of almost forty years, was regaling one of the other captains with amusing tales of his exploits as a young soldier, though most of the table had become his rapt audience. Mulan, her meal finished, put her chopsticks down and listened with a small smile to the older captain's story, laughing along with the others. Even Shang managed a tiny smirk.

The stories they shared with one another helped them to forget about the imminent danger they would find themselves in, and to some extent the act of sharing fragments of one's history in the army with others helped to nurture the bonds of trust and friendship that would be so vital on the field of battle. It had started as an idle topic of conversation over the first meal they shared all together back in Kashgar, once the main body of the forces had arrived and settle in for the winter. It had since evolved into something more of a tradition for them, as the subject of past battles and rigorous training was something they all shared in common. So, each night they would take turns to tell a tale over their bowl of tasteless rice, and learn something more of the people they would be coming to fight with.

It was startling how much one could find out, even about the people you thought you knew well. Shang, it turned out, had spent the better part of his teenage years serving under his father along the northern border, on the Great Wall. He'd gained his first battle scar when he was fifteen and had stupidly faced off against an invading Hun almost twice his height. He ended up getting skewered through his shoulder, and though his attacker was quickly dispatched and the battle won, Shang had spent the night thinking he was going to die because it hurt so much. On a more amusing note, he had apparently once had his hair shaved off by a vengeful friend in retaliation for a bad prank, and subsequently spent most of the following month wearing his helmet until it grew back.

Captain Hsiao had a more impressive track record for the number of battles he had fought in. He, too, had served on the Great Wall - though a more westerly stretch – as well as against the Japanese on the eastern coast. He had a great many scars from their wickedly sharp swords – "_katana," _he said, "_can cut through boulders as though they are dumplings"_, but Mulan wasn't sure she could believe that. When asked on the origin of the scar on his face, he had given a wry grin and explained it was the result of a drunken brawl over gambling debts with another soldier, who had pulled a knife on him.

When Captain Ma's story finished and the last chuckles died down, Shang stood from his place and turned to address them. Smiles disappeared and silence fell upon them as they waited for the General to speak, suddenly serious. It was habit, more than anything, to await his words with such grim anticipation, but then, as soldiers, they were taught to expect the worst.

"General Su is planning some sort of competition for the soldiers this evening," Shang said, folding his arms and assuming an authoritative pose. "Your help will be needed to judge and to maintain control. You'll meet on the eastern edge of camp, and assemble yourselves as General Su instructs. Until then, you are dismissed."

-----

When Mulan arrived at the designated spot as she'd been instructed, she hadn't expected to be handed Khan's reigns and a long-handled torch, and told to ride off down the hill. She'd been sent off with Captain Hsiao, also on horseback, in a rather brusque fashion by one of General Su's Captains, who'd been muttering something about 'checkpoints' and 'make sure they don't cheat'.

And what was the competition?

A race.

She wouldn't have expected that any of the soldiers would be up to running around in the dark, particularly after a long day of marching. For those that had horses to ride it wasn't so bad, but she'd seen the queue for the medic's tent on her way here, and quite a number of the infantry had been receiving treatment for blisters and other similar ailments. She was surprised, then, when she saw the enthusiasm in the faces of some of the soldiers as she and Captain Hsiao rode past. Surprised mostly because the prize for this race was only a small bottle of rice wine. When she voiced her puzzlement to her companion, he gave her that same wry smile he was wont to give.

"It may not seem like much," He told her, his visible eye glinting in the light of the torch as he gave her a sideways glance, "but the soldiers will be glad for it. The mountain roads don't have inns for them to drink in."

_Indeed, they must be_, she thought, planting the torch firmly into the soft ground. Even here at the second checkpoint the racket the soldiers were making could reach them.

The track followed a winding path that roughly encircled the camp, passing by the river to the south and stopping just short of the rising slope to the mountains on the western side of the camp. Considering that the camp itself was no small thing, the race would be a challenge even for those in the best physical condition. Mulan found herself glad she didn't have to run it.

Suddenly, with a great roar, the crowd of soldiers surged forward towards the first checkpoint. It was quite a fearful thing, Mulan thought, to have the majority of their army running headlong towards them, the ground shaking faintly with the pounding of their feet.

The mass of soldiers was just now approaching the first checkpoint, and Mulan saw now what the brusque captain meant by cheating when several of the soldiers attempted to cut the corner. The captains at the first checkpoint wasted no time in rounding them up and sending them packing. Mulan had little time to dwell on this, however, as the leading group of soldiers was fast approaching their position.

"You ready?" She heard Captain Hsiao call to her over the increasingly loud thrum of feet on the ground. She gave a quick nod and gathered her reigns tighter into her hands.

The mass of bodies passed with a faint _whoosh_. Luckily for them, very few soldiers chanced cutting the corner, and those that did quite quickly changed their minds when they saw Mulan and the great black body of Khan homing in on them. She felt quite proud that none of those that tried it were her own men, though judging by the look on Captain Hsiao's face, she guessed he'd caught a few of his.

Once the last few stragglers passed them, they made their way back to the camp and the finishing line. Most of the noise was emanating from the other side of the camp, though nothing could be seen through the forest of tents and flags, so Mulan assumed that the race was probably nearing completion. There was a small gathering of people waiting for the race to finish, mostly consisting of the men who didn't participate, but scattered throughout with captains. Mulan even spotted the medic and the cook talking animatedly with one another, though the subject was a mystery to her. On the fringes of the crowd she spotted Shang and General Su standing together in rigid silence, probably more for appearance's sake than anything else.

"What say we make a bet, Captain Fa?" Captain Hsiao said cheerfully, "Whose men will cross the line first: yours or mine?"

"Oh, well I'm not a gambling person, you see," Mulan replied with equal cheer, a smile spreading across her features. From his stories, she knew better than to bet with him because he didn't pay up, but she'd play along. "I know that my men will come first, anyway. You're certain to lose."

The older captain gave a loud bark of a laughter at that. "And what makes you so sure?"

"Because I learnt my training techniques from the most ruthless instructor there is," She said, lacing her tone with mock haughtiness and giving him a playful sideways glance. "My men know that if they don't come first they'll be running this race again."

Captain Hsiao raised a thick eyebrow at her, and she couldn't help but burst out laughing. She stifled her amusement, though, when she noticed not only the gazes of those closest to her were focussed in her direction but also those of both Generals. Quickly, she turned her eyes back to the spot where the competitors were due to appear.

It didn't take long. She'd barely taken a dozen breaths by the time the first exhausted men came around the corner. The leading group consisted of six men, though, disappointingly, none of them were hers. The onlookers didn't seem to care, and immediately shot to their feet to applaud and holler at the approaching group, while the runners put on a last burst of speed, spurred ahead by the calls of their comrades. Seconds later, they stumbled across the finish line in quick succession, before collapsing on the grass.

The winner was a well-muscled man who looked as though he'd been doing more strenuous exercises his entire life, as although he still lay sprawled out on the ground he'd already largely regained his breath. Shang made his way over to congratulate the man with a hearty thwack on the back and the promised bottle of rice wine, which the man promptly removed the top of and swigged, prompting a small swell of laughter.

Gradually the remaining soldiers arrived back from the race, exhausted but generally well tempered even though they hadn't won. Several even ventured over to congratulate the winner and join in lamenting the diminutive size of his prize, while the Captains gravitated together to speculate on the best performers.

"How about another race?"

Mulan's head whipped around to find Shang standing in the middle of the crowd looking smug. A chorus of groans erupted around him, but he held up his hand for silence. She looked around for any sign of General Su, but it appeared as though he had made himself scarce. On returning her gaze to the younger General, she found him to be looking right at her. She broke her eyes away to cast a curious look to Captain Hsiao, though it appeared he had no idea what was going through Shang's mind either. Perhaps he'd fallen subject to a random bout of madness.

"Now it's the turn of your _Captains_." Came Shang's voice.

Yes, definitely madness.

-----

A/N: First of all, I'd like to apologise. The rate at which I've been writing is pitiful, and I know that you've all wanted me to speed things up, but I've been caught up in the maze of life and had difficulty finding my way out again.

_Yet again _I am approaching exam season (yay), but on top of that I have an interview at Glasgow University I have to prepare for and a new job that leaves me far more exhausted than I'd like. Sometimes, even if I have time to write a chapter I don't feel like it. It's not like I'm lacking ideas or anything – I know _exactly _what I want to do with this fic – but just motivation. Life is hard, but I'm getting through it.

_Anyway, _I wrote this chapter entirely in one day, so if there are problems with it, please tell me. _Hopefully _I'll be able to get the next chapter out sooner.

Thanks for all your reviews! I really appreciate every one of them, so keep sending them in :P

icedragon6171

* * *

Well that was the last chapter written by **icedragon6171**! The next one will be done completely by me!! I'm sooo happy about that fact, so I hope to have all the support tha original writer has had until now!!!:)

Even if I already have several ideas for the following chapters I would like to know your opinion about them as well:

-First of all I'd like to know if you want Mulan to win the Captain's race (since Shang has proposed to challenge Mulan, or at least I think it's so), or you think it would look too cliché/typical Disney/unrealistic? (I think Mulan wold be able to win the race, since resistance running is not based on speed but on how a person administers his/her energy, and in the movie we all saw that she was really good at camp when she had to run with those weights on her shoulders...she even ran in front of Shang!, but again... some of you might think it would be better if she didn't win but still came in 2nd or 3rd, so it still looks good...) well tell me what you think!!:)

-Also I wanted to know if you would like to see more of Luo Jin on this story!

Please send me a review with your answers and suggestions or, if you prefer, send me a PM!!It's very important for me to know all your opinions, since I want this story to keep being as good as it has been until now!!!THANKS!:)


	14. Chapter 14

Disclaimer: All characters in this story are the rightful property of Disney, except for Luo Jin, Captain Hsiao Tso-liang and Captain Ma Yuan, who belong to **icedragon6171**.

A/N: this is the first chapter written by me (crazyalmu007)! I hope you guys like it!

**Towards the Setting Sun**

**Chapter 14**

As soon as the words came out from Shang's mouth, all the soldiers started to cheer, while the Captains present, including Mulan, just stood there looking utterly confused. When Mulan turned to look back at Shang, she realized he was still looking at her, his eyes sparkling in a special way. Was he… challenging her? Didn't he think she could do it? She broke her eyes away to look at Captain Hsiao again.

"Well, let's get moving, shall we?" She said to him.

She started to walk towards the starting line, where some of the Captains were already standing. As she passed a group of men, Captain Hsiao by her side, some of them called her name and begun to cheer. She recognized them as some of the soldiers under her command. She nodded in response, smiling slightly, thankful of having her men's support.

As they got to the starting line and took positions, she started to ponder over how she was going to run the race… after all this wasn't sprinting, which she would certainly loose against the other more experienced and faster men, no, this was resistance running, and although she didn't like it very much (she remembered how glad she had been about not having to run when she and Captain Hsiao had waited at the checkpoint), she knew she had as many possibilities as the rest of the men to win this race because the result didn't depend only on speed, but also on wits. She remembered when she was back at Wu Zhong, how good, she'd actually been, she was better than anyone in camp with those weights on her shoulders, she even remembered Shang congratulating her once.

As the Captains did their warm-up, Shang had sent some of the soldiers to stand at the checkpoints where they had been standing not so long ago. After having done that, the General approached the competing Captains.

"Men, you know the rules. Run around the camp, and the first one to get back here, will be the winner." He said looking as regal as always. "May the best one win." He said that last sentence looking solely at Mulan, the same challenging look in his eyes.

The twelve Captains present got into a straight line, waiting for Shang to give the signal to start. He observed the line and saw that all of his seven Captains were present; however, two of General Su's were missing. He spotted Mulan standing between Captain Hsiao and one of the elder General's men, whose name he couldn't remember. The runners were looking ahead, most of them had a concentrated look on their eyes and Mulan, Shang saw, was frowning slightly. He counted up to three before giving the starting signal. Then the men all started running.

As Mulan ran she only thought about one thing: about saving her strength and energy. Even if the men were quickly leaving her behind, she knew that if she pushed herself harder, she would become exhausted too early. She had to hold on until the end. If she didn't, she wouldn't only let herself down, but Shang as well, and she certainly didn't want that, especially after the challenging look she had got from him earlier. She kept running and was overtaken by yet another man, who she recognized as the Captain who had been sleeping on a bench while Shang and she talked inside the mess hall after her return from the mountains.

She briefly glanced over her shoulder. The starting line couldn't be seen anymore and she realized there was no one behind her.

She was the last one.

After passing one more checkpoint, she decided it was time to speed things up a bit. She had been jogging steadily while some of the men who had rushed at the beginning had no energy left in them, and were slowing down. She finally managed to reach the last of the men and overtook him. He was one of General Su's men.

She started increasing her pace, just a little bit. It was _her_ turn to overtake the others now.

...

Shang was waiting at the finish line, a bit further away from the other soldiers. He watched as some of the men he had sent to stand at the checkpoints were coming back. To his right some men were discussing who they thought was going to win the current race. A small smile appeared on his face when he imagined Mulan running towards the finish line. He knew she was a good runner, but how good? He was about to discover.

"General." Shang turned around and looked at the soldier who had just addressed him.

"Yes?" He answered.

"General Su sent me; he wants to see you in his tent to discuss the upcoming journey through the mountains leading to the Turkish territory."

"Of course, tell him I'll be there as soon as the race finishes, surely he can start without me." Shang answered, an edge of bitterness marking his last words. Su Dingfeng hadn't needed him before, when deciding when to leave, even though he had advised him to wait until the snow in the mountains had melted. Why would he need his help now? Surely he would be able to cope on his own.

Shang was aware of how childish his reasons for making the elder General wait were, but his pride wouldn't allow him to act otherwise. He had treated Shang as a subordinate since he arrived at the camp in Kashgar, even though they shared the same rank.

He realized the soldier was still standing beside him, waiting for further orders. Shang tried to appear as commanding as he possibly could and dismissed him. After that he submerged himself in his thoughts again: why would Su Dingfeng suddenly want to talk to him? Surely it wasn't only to discuss strategy… he guessed he would find out later.

He was brought back to reality by the screams and shouts coming from the soldiers waiting at the finish line. Shang looked up and saw that Captain Ma Yuan had got round the last corner: His face was red from exertion, and his pace was irregular. Immediately after, other two Captains had appeared in sight; both were under General Su's command, closely followed by Captain Hsiao. Mulan was nowhere in sight.

Right after that thought had crossed his mind he saw her appear. She was running as fast as the little energy she had left in her would allow her. Her lithe body moved swiftly across the terrain, and she quickly overtook Captain Hsiao. She kept running, increasing her speed, and, as a result, overtaking one of General Su's Captains, the one who had stood beside her while they waited for the signal to start the race. She was approaching the next one.

'Just some more steps to go.' She thought. As she ran, she could faintly hear the soldiers standing at the sides of the "track" cheer, and scream the names of their fellow Captains. She even heard a horse whinny someplace far away, but despite all the distractions around her, she only looked ahead, increasing her pace with every single step.

The soldier ahead of her and herself were getting closer and closer to the first of them all which Mulan recognized as Captain Ma Yuan, the one who had begun telling stories of his years as a young soldier at the eating table that evening, and they were also nearing the finish line.

The other Captain didn't take long in passing Ma Yuan, Mulan following closely behind. As Mulan passed him, she mused on how a man his age could be such a good runner, even if his pace was slow and irregular now, due to the fact that he had begun the race with a sprint, he had managed to come this far holding his leading position.

She stopped musing when she realized that the other soldier was getting away from her. How could she loose her concentration when she was so close to the finish line!

So she ran even faster. She put every last bit of energy into this one last sprint, and soon she was side by side with the other Captain. She kept running forward, her eyes only looking at the finish line some more steps ahead. The only thing that made her aware of her opponent running beside her were his rhythmic footsteps on the floor.

She heard the cheering soldiers around her, some of them screaming her name. She looked up for a brief moment and her eyes interlocked themselves with those of Shang. This time his eyes didn't sparkle denoting any challenge, but instead they shined with what looked like pride.

With her eyes back on the track again, she ran the final steps, so intensely concentrating on getting to the finish line that she forgot about everything else.

She stopped hearing the cheers.

She forgot about how heavy her legs felt.

She stopped hearing the rhythmic steps beside her. Were they even still there? She wanted to look, to confirm her thoughts, but she wasn't about to make the mistake of getting distracted _twice_.

So she just kept running until she finally reached the finish line. She stopped, glad to be able to catch her breath, and as she looked to her side, she saw that the other Captain was catching his breath too. Suddenly he looked up and stared daggers at her. She couldn't help but smile in return, because it meant…it meant that-

"Mulan." A voice said behind her, interrupting her thoughts. She turned around and found herself staring right into the smiling face of Shang. "Congratulations." He said in a low voice, only for her to hear. She smiled back, her face flushed from exertion.

The soldiers that were under her command were the first ones that came to congratulate her, and she acknowledged them with a nod of her head, smiling happily.

Many other soldiers and fellow Captains came to congratulate her, and afterwards, the men started to leave and went to their respecting tents, retiring for the night. Shang ordered a few men to bring back the torches which had been used to signal the checkpoints. Then he remembered: he had to go and talk with General Su.

A he started leaving, he looked towards Mulan. She stood talking animatedly to Captain Hsiao. She looked his way and their eyes locked for a brief moment. She smiled to him and he found himself smiling back. Then without another word, he walked away, towards General Su's tent.

...

Mulan found herself riding Khan, taking shots at a lone tree she was using as a target. Since they had left the fortress at Kashgar, she could no longer practice her shooting in the training fields, so she had to go to the outskirts of the provisional camp to be able to do so.

It was already very late; the full moon was shining, allowing Mulan to see what she was doing. She was feeling rather proud of herself that day since most of her arrows were finding their mark, one or two still missed the target, but overall she could see that she had improved significantly.

After the race, all the soldiers had retired for the night, since they were leaving early the next morning. Mulan thought that General Su was rushing their departure, it was still very cold in the mountains to travel though them, but she also thought that he knew what he was doing, after all, he was an experienced General, and it would be very convenient to have the element of surprise on their side.

She jumped down from Khan to retrieve all the arrows she had shot. It was already late and she knew she needed to get some sleep. When she had picked all the arrows, she placed them inside the quiver attached to the horse's saddle. After having done that, she heard some steps behind her. She turned around to face whoever was coming.

"Don't you think it's a bit late to be practicing? Especially since we are leaving so early tomorrow morning." Shang said with a stern look on his face.

"I was just leaving." She answered in a low voice.

"Seems you've become pretty good at this." Shang said switching to a lighter tone. 'So, he had been watching.' Mulan thought. "But you missed your lesson today. I had to talk to General Su about the upcoming trip." A grimace appeared on his face as he said those last words. "Then I sent a soldier to look for you, but when he told me he couldn't find you, I thought you would be training." 'Was that even relevant?' He thought.

"I'm sorry." Mulan said as they both started walking towards camp.

"Don't apologise." Shang said his expression unreadable. "Go, take care of your horse and then go to my tent. You'll show me what you have learnt then. You must know that a good leader does not only know how to fight, but also which is the best way to do it. That's why you should concentrate on your studies as much as on your practicing. Now go."

After having said that, he left, leaving Mulan standing alone in the darkness.

...

Some time later Mulan sat inside Shang's tent. After her lesson, Shang had begun to tell her about the meeting he had had with General Su earlier in the evening.

"Once we cross the mountains, we'll have to camp somewhere well hidden, or at least part of the army will have to do so, to hide our numbers, we have to appear as weak as possible to them."

"_All warfare is based on deception_." Mulan quoted interrupting him.

"So it is." Shang said smiling proudly.

"Shang… What if the Turks had the same idea as us, and left before the winter season ended?" Mulan asked, a frown crossing her features. She didn't think it would be pleasant to encounter them in the mountains.

"Well, I'm afraid that's a risk we'll have to take." Shang said, his face mirroring Mulan's worried expression. "But for now, let's concentrate on the task ahead, which is crossing the mountains. Let's hope we can survive _that_." He said emphasising the last word. "Now you should go to sleep, tomorrow is going to be a long day."

He stood up, waiting for her to do the same. When she did, he opened the tent flap to allow her to exit. Before exiting, Mulan turned towards him to bid him goodnight, and found him standing just a few inches away from her. He lifted his hand and placed it on her shoulder.

"Goodnight, Mulan, sleep well." He said in a whisper. She was so close to him that she could feel his warm breath on her face. She was paralysed; she felt her knees tremble slightly and hoped he didn't notice it. Her brain wasn't functioning properly, she couldn't think of any coherent words to say. She opened her mouth to say something but no sound came from her mouth. She wanted to step away before she did or said something she would later regret, but she couldn't bring herself to do so. This wasn't the first time it happened, Mulan remembered the night he had given her the scroll she had been studying for the past months: Sun Tzu's "Art of War".

"Goodnight Shang." She finally managed to say. Then she turned to leave, and she walked away towards her own tent.

Shang could have sworn he had seen a pained look on her eyes as she had stepped away from his touch.

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A/N: well this was it! I hope you guys liked it! Please, **review** and tell me what you think! I'm already working on the next chapter; I should be able to post it on Christmas Eve! By the way, MERRY CHRISTMAS EVERYONE!

What Mulan quoted inside of Shang's tent is an actual sentence extracted from Sun Tzu's "Art of War"; it's one of his most famous quotes.


	15. Chapter 15

Disclaimer: All characters in this story are the rightful property of Disney, except for Luo Jin, Captain Hsiao Tso-liang and Captain Ma Yuan, who belong to icedragon6171 and Captain Wo Chen who belongs to me!:)

**Towards the Setting Sun**

**Chapter 15**

It was cold.

No. Not cold, it was freezing. Mulan pulled her cloak closer around her to protect herself from the cold and piercing winds of the mountains. They had been riding through the mountains for several days and Mulan thought that she would be used to the freezing temperatures by now, but she wasn't. As she rubbed her hands together in a vain attempt to warm them, she looked back to the long rows of foot soldiers trailing behind them. She couldn't help but feel sorry for them, at least she had Khan.

She looked to where Shang was riding beside her. A frown crossed his features and his hands, which were gripping his own stallion's reins, were red from the cold. He hadn't said a single word in the whole day.

"Shang. What's wrong?" She asked.

"What's wrong?" He repeated as if it were the most obvious thing in the world, his voice hoarse from the lack of use. Mulan shivered slightly, as he glared at her. "Mulan, have you seen how many men have already died? And we still have a long way to go!" Mulan looked away, not knowing what to say. He was right. If they kept loosing men due to the freezing temperatures, they would have no chances against the Ottomans.

Shang sighed. "And the worst thing is that we can't go back now, that would be useless. We should have planned this journey better." He gripped the reins tighter until his knuckles turned white.

Mulan knew that he blamed General Su for all the unnecessary deaths. It had been the daily topic of discussion between the two Generals.

Shang turned to face forward signalling that the conversation was over. Now it was Mulan's turn to sigh. If he would only talk to her about his concerns… Mulan looked ahead of her too and they kept riding in silence.

...

They had stopped for the night. Mulan was glad. That day's journey had been long and the men were exhausted. During the journey, a snow storm had caught them off guard, slowing them down considerably, and making them cover much less ground than what they had originally intended. There had been moments in which she was barely able to see Khan's ears, and much less, Shang's red cape beside her. Fearing the worst, Shang had ordered the troops to stop until the visibility improved, to which General Su, despite not liking the idea, had thankfully agreed. Some long hours later, they had been able to start marching again.

After setting up her tent, Mulan went to supervise the men as they set up their own and built several fires. Having done that, she went to talk with some of her own men, seeing that the morale was very low, and tried to cheer them up telling them that soon they would be out of the mountains. She succeeded somewhat, but after seeing that it was no use, she decided to grab some food (which would probably be tasteless rice _again_) and go to her tent to study "The Art of War".

She was about to do so when she spotted a lone figure walking away from camp. She recognized it as Shang, his General's armour quickly giving him away. She started to follow.

...

Shang stood alone stubbornly facing the wind, looking over the countless _li _covered in snow. The sight of snow brought back dark memories he'd rather not remember.

He heard some steps behind him, suddenly breaking his train of thought. He knew, without looking over his shoulder who it was, he could have recognized those footsteps anywhere.

"Shang." Mulan said. "You haven't eaten anything."

He smiled to himself as she said that, with his back still turned to her. After the way in which he had treated her while they had been riding, she came to him showing her concern, having forgiven him already.

"No, I'm not hungry." He said, finally turning to face her. Mulan came up to his side, and looked over at what he had been gazing some seconds ago. They stood in silence for a while until she spoke up.

"I know you are concerned about our current situation. I am too, but we knew this would happen, General Su did as well-"

"But so many men!" He said interrupting her. "Mulan, we need as many soldiers as possible to attempt to win this battle! The Turks have everything else on their side! The terrain, their skills…"

"That's true Shang, but right now we can't do anything against it." She said in a stern but yet soothing tone.

She was right. Shang felt as if their roles had reversed: she was the master, and he, the apprentice.

"Shang." She said hesitantly, her voice faltering ever so slightly. "Is there anything else concerning you?"

He looked at her, surprised that she could read his thoughts. She was looking at the floor, and even in the dark, he could see that her cheeks were flushed red, although he didn't know if it was due to the cold, or if she had just blushed. He looked away and sighed. No, he wouldn't answer, he would keep those thoughts to himself. The last thing he wanted was to show any sigh of weakness before this woman, who he admired so greatly. He straightened himself and turned to look ahead, remaining silent.

Seeing that he wasn't going to give her any answer, she turned away to leave, but before doing so, she said:

"It's not a weakness to accept one's concerns, Shang." And without any more words to say, she left.

He stared at her retreating figure in awe as he wandered how she had managed to read his thoughts yet again. He felt ashamed of himself. How could she know him so well when he knew so little about her?

...

After talking (or attempting to do so) with Shang, Mulan had returned to the camp and now sat with some of her fellow Captains, who were conversing animatedly. Mulan had observed that the men were in better spirits than the last time she ad seen them. 'A meal and a good talk around the fire can do a lot of good to a man.' She thought. As usual, the Captains were telling stories about their early years as soldiers.

That night, she learnt from Captain Wo Chen, one of General Su's men. He explained how during a campaign against the Mongols in the north, many soldiers had been gravely injured, and the medic had been killed in the midst of battle. Luckily, he was a medic's son and he was well versed in that particular art, having learnt medicine during most of his childhood years, and he was able to save the lives of many men, including the one of his own Captain, who, as he told them, had died during the recent Hun invasion.

They kept talking for quite a long time; Mulan even told some anecdotes of her own experiences during training at Wu Zhong. But they were suddenly interrupted when a horse violently bolted nearby. Mulan sprang into action and ran swiftly towards said horse, whose distressed owner was trying to appease. She quickly managed to get the situation under control, and when she did, she proceeded to scold the irresponsible rider after being told that the horse's bolting had been caused by a snowball, which had been unwillingly thrown at the horse during a snow fight. 'How can they even _stand_ playing with snow! Aren't they fed up with it?' Mulan mused.

After solving the problem and receiving several approving glances from her fellow Captains, Mulan started to think where she had seen a similar scene before. Suddenly she remembered: it had been several months ago, when Luo Jin's horse had bolted in a similar way (although due to a different reason) and had thrown it's rider to the floor, causing him several serious injuries.

That was the first time Mulan realized that she hadn't had any medical training, which every Captain, except her, had had, and it left her with an uneasy feeling of uselessness. Every single Captain of the Imperial Army was meant to know, at least the basics about medical training, but she didn't. That second she made up her mind about something: she was going to stop being an exception about _everything_. She wouldn't give General Su yet _another_ reason to want to send her home.

She was going to go through medical training.

And, from what she had learnt that day, she knew perfectly who was going to be able to teach her.

* * *

A/N: sooo, another chapter (entirely written by me!:) hehe!) posted! I hope you liked it! I know the two chapters I have recently posted don possess the action some of the others do, however, these are transition chapters (from training to actual war) that are necessary!

I hope you liked it nevertheless!

By the way! Thanks to all the people who have put this story on "Story Alert"! Now, you could also leave me a review telling me what you thought! It would make me _veeeery_ happy!:)

As I promised some of you, I got this chapter posted on Christmas Eve! (You can see that I keep my word!) So **MERRY CHRISTMAS** to you all! (I think this is the second chapter in where I say that…oh well!) :)

Also sorry for the shortness of the chapter! The next ones will be longer for sure!

Ah! Just one more thing: I guess you will all know this, but in case you don't, let me warn you- Ottoman and Turk mean the same thing.


	16. Chapter 16

Disclaimer: All characters in this story are the rightful property of Disney, except for Luo Jin, Captain Hsiao Tso-liang and Captain Ma Yuan, who belong to icedragon6171 and Captain Wo Chen and Huo Feng who belong to me!:)

A/N: so, here it is! A nice new loooong chapter! I hope you enjoy reading it as much as I enjoyed writing it!

**Towards the Setting Sun**

**Chapter 16**

"Come on, soldier! Surely you can do better than that!" Mulan scolded the man who was fighting against her. She had already beaten him four times. "You have to move faster!" She said. "Find your opponent's weakness and use it to your benefit."

The soldier nodded, but there was a look in his eyes that Mulan couldn't decipher. She decided to ask.

"What is it, soldier?" She asked in a firm tone.

"Well…We are tired, Captain…We have been training all day without a pause." The soldier answered hesitantly fearing Mulan's reaction.

Mulan knew the soldier was right. Since their arrival at Turkish territory they had trained non-stop, the officers pushing the soldiers to the hardest of their abilities. But they had to do it that way, battle was near, and they had to be prepared.

Mulan looked at the sky. The sun was already setting. They should already have stopped. She looked back at the soldier who was expectantly looking at her, waiting for an answer.

"OK, men!" She said raising her voice to get the men's attention in the way Shang did. It seemed to work. "You have worked well today. I see you have improved, both with your horses, and on the ground. I think we can stop the training for today" She finished with a smile. Some of the men started to cheer, but Mulan interrupted them. "But I advise you not to tell a charging Turk that you are tired to avoid the fighting, because I doubt he'll care." That last statement caused all the men to start laughing, then Mulan dismissed them and they all went to their respective tents.

When they came out of the mountains, after several weeks of marching though them, they had looked for a place well guarded from the elements but also from undesired prying eyes. It was difficult to hide such a great army, but they had managed quite well. They had built a provisional camp in the lower mountains, where it was warmer and there wasn't any snow. The trees surrounding it id hide them somewhat, and also the fact of their altitude protected them from the enemy. If they were to ambush them, they would have to climb up, and that would give the Chinese Army the chance to defeat the Turks easily with a few arrows. Another advantage was that they had an aerial view of everything that was below them.

Nevertheless they all knew that they had to be cautious. That's why they had built a wall around the camp with the strong wood that the pines from the mountains provided them. It wasn't as resistant as a stone walled fortress, but it was good enough to protect them.

It had been almost a week since they had sent some scouts to discover the location of the enemy fortress, and they still hadn't come back. Mulan was worried. They were well trained professional scouts and still they hadn't sent any reports.

As she mused about the scouts, she approached her writing table; as a Captain she was privileged to have a bigger tent than the rest of the soldiers, although not as big as Shang's or General Su, and also a writing table to do her officer's work, which she also used to study. That night she had to keep studying medicine, then she would meet up with Captain Wo after supper and he would test her on what she had learned. Then he would show her how to put that newly acquired knowledge into practice.

During the travelling though the mountains, she had asked Wo Chen if he would train her. He had gladly accepted, happy to find someone as interested in his medical knowledge as she was. She had stopped talking so much with Shang, since he had been moody during the whole journey, and just answered with monosyllables to everything she said or asked, so she had spent most of the journey through the snowy mountains riding beside Wo Chen, who, as she discovered had a great sense of humour and loved to talk. She thought that, in a way, he was an older version of Luo Jin, and not as well built, although he conserved himself well enough for his late thirties.

He had already taught her many things. The teachings had gone on while they rode and also when they stopped for the nights. She was a fast learner and since, during the travelling though the mountains she didn't have to train, she was able to make the most of her lessons. She had learned all the basics during the long weeks of travelling, so she had reached the level of knowledge of many of the other Captains. But she had found out that she actually liked it, so she aimed higher, she wanted to learn more.

Wo Chen and she had gone to talk to the medic. He had kindly helped Wo Chen with Mulan's training. She had also learned many things from him, and he had recently lent her the book she was reading right now: Su Song's _Bencao Tujing_ -Illustrated Pharmacopoeia-. It talked about all types of herbs and their uses. The medic had even shown her some of the ones that appeared in the book.

But what she liked more about medicine were the practical tests that the medic or Wo Chen would give her. The medic sometimes would let the two Captains stay inside the tent while he treated a patient and he would occasionally ask Mulan to give the appropriate diagnosis to the problem.

Mulan suddenly realized that she had spent too much time reading and that she had lost track of time. She stood up quickly and ran towards the mess tent. When she entered she discovered with relief that she was not the last one. There were still many men queuing to get their supper. She went to the front (being an officer she was allowed to do so) and grabbed her food. Then she went to sit with the rest of the officers.

As she sat, she looked towards Shang's way, and when their eyes locked she smiled slightly at him, he smiled back, well actually his lips moved slightly upwards, but it didn't reach his eyes. However it was a progress, since it was a rarity to see Shang smile those days. Mulan thought it was due to all the losses they had had during their travelling and to all the work he had to do: training, paperwork, keeping the organisation of the camp, more paperwork… But she also suspected that his current moodiness had something to do with the fact that General Su hadn't stopped rubbing in Shang's face the fact that their journey hadn't been as terrible as Shang had predicted, that way indirectly telling him that he had a much lesser knowledge of the art of command than the elder General.

Supper was enjoyable, as usual, although Mulan could see that the officers were uneasy because of the upcoming war. They all knew that once the scouts returned, they would march into battle. She was also feeling uneasy, rather afraid. It was true that she had been in the army before, and she had even fought in a battle, but now she was going to see real war, and with the responsibility of almost five hundred men under her command.

Shang noticed that Mulan was lost in her thoughts. He kept looking at her, but she just kept staring at her rice bowl as if it were the most amazing thing in the world. She finally looked up and their eyes met, but she quickly turned away. Shang realised that they had become so distant, and he knew it was his own fault. During the journey through the mountains she had tried to talk to him, but he had bee rather moody at the time (he still was, although not as much) due to his daily arguments with General Su, but he knew he hadn't treated her as she deserved. Thankfully, he would have a moment alone with her later that evening; since they were due to meet at his tent to continue with her lessons. Then he would try to apologise for his behaviour.

When supper was over, Mulan quickly ran to her tent to pick the material she needed for her lesson with Wo Chen, which consisted on the scroll she had been previously reading, another scroll that talked about typical battle wounds and their treatment and some ink and paper to take notes.

"You are a quick learner, Captain Fa. As you know, you have already learnt all the basics; you'll be ready to assist anyone in the battlefield when the time comes." Wo Chen said with a smile after testing her. "I'm sure my father would have been glad to meet a student as dedicated to learning medicine as you are." Mulan smiled at the comment, supposing it was a way of telling her that he was proud of her accomplishments. It showed her that he didn't think she was worth less than him due to the fact that she was a woman. She realised that the men, not only the plain recruits, but also her fellow Captains respected her; just as Shang had said they would when they left the Imperial City, about a year ago. Thinking about Shang made her remember: that evening she was supposed to meet him in his tent for her lesson!

...

"Shang?" She called from outside. Then she went in after hearing his voice telling her to enter.

"You are late." He said in a stern voice, with his back turned to her.

"I know, and I apologise. It won't happen again." She said.

He turned around and to her surprise, he was smiling, and this time, it did reach his eyes.

"I guess I can forgive you this one time." He said in a joking tone, his smile never leaving his face. She smiled back. "Please, sit down." He said gesturing towards the cushions on the floor of the tent. She did as she was asked.

Mulan wondered how his mood had changed so much since dinner. She wanted to ask, but she was afraid he would think it was inappropriate due to their different ranks, but still, she thought he owed her an explanation, and most of all, an apology. She decided she would ask after the lesson.

She didn't need to ask anything.

After the lesson he looked straight into her eyes and said:

"I guess lately things have been hard for you too, haven't they?" He didn't wait for her answer, instead he kept talking. "Even though I'm stressed with everything going on right now, I have no right to treat you the way I have since we begun travelling trough the mountains. That's why I want to apologise to you."

'Wow'.

That was all Mulan could think of after hearing Shang's apology. She was amazed. He had put all of his pride aside to apologise to _her_. She didn't think she would live to see that day.

"Don't. There is no need to apologise. I understand." She said with a smile after her brain begun functioning correctly again. She tried to look as confident as possible, but the fact that she was blushing made it a bit difficult.

Shang smiled tenderly at her. He was about to say something when one soldier announced his presence from the other side of the tent flap, which had been left half open for decency's sake. Shang authorised the man to enter it and after he saluted him and Mulan, Shang asked him to identify himself.

"Soldier Huo Feng, General. I was at my post at the gate, when I suddenly saw one of the scouts. He has arrived alone and slightly injured. He has been taken to the medic's tent to be treated."

"Very well, soldier. Return to your post. We'll take care of it from here." Shang said in a commanding voice.

The soldier did as he was told and then Mulan and Shang went quickly to the medical tent. When they arrived, they found out that the scout's wounds had already been dressed with bandages. When he saw that the two officers had entered the tent, he tried to sit up to salute, but the medic ordered him to lie down.

"General Li. Captain Fa." He said looking at each one as he said their names. "Several Turkish riders attacked us during our scouting, just as we had discovered the location of their camp. They were a dozen and they easily overpowered us, who were only five. They called themselves _Akinci_. They killed all of my comrades, but I managed to escape undetected. No one has followed me here."

Someone entered the tent, making the scout stop talking. It was General Su, who had also immediately come after being informed of the situation. The soldier saluted him as well and then kept talking after Shang indicated him to do so.

"When the night finally fell, I went back to the place where the skirmish had taken place to confirm that my comrades were indeed dead. As I was about to leave, I found this." He said taking out a paper from inside the bag that was resting in the floor beside his cot. Shang took it from his hands and opened it. It was written in Turkish so it was impossible for Shang to decipher what it said.

After attempting to read it, Shang ordered the scout to get some rest and then they all got out of the tent. Once they did, Mulan turned to face the two Generals.

"They know our location. They can attack us any moment." She said.

"What do you mean?" Asked General Su.

"Don't you see? The Turkish scouts left that paper by the dead bodies because they knew that our scout would come back. He didn't escape undetected. They let him escape intentionally. They left the note in a place visible from where they were hiding to be able to follow him afterwards. The note was a trap. It might as well say nothing of use."

"She's right." Shang added. "And he also mentioned that they called themselves _Akinci_. They are also scouts, so they could have perfectly followed him here while he thought that he had successfully escaped."

"We'll attack tomorrow as the sun rises. We still have the element of surprise, but we won't if the so called _Akinci_ who followed our scout here discover our location before we attack." General Su said. "They know we are here, but they don't know _where_." He paused for a minute to order his thoughts. Mulan and Shang just waited for him to keep talking. "General Li. Come with me to my tent. We'll discuss the tactics there. Captain Fa. Inform the rest of the troops of the current situation and get them ready for battle. After having done that also come to my tent, and make sure the rest of the Captains do as well." He finished.

The two Generals left and Mulan went to do as she was told.

...

"We will attack from here with our main forces" General Su said signalling a spot in the map with his pointer. "The archers will be hiding in the nearby forest, and they will begin the attack before we send any of the other troops to battle."

The tent was crowded with only six of the fourteen Captains inside it, so the tent flap had been left open to allow the rest to see what the Generals were doing.

General Su was currently explaining to all of them the tactic that they would use, after having talked about it with General Li while the Captains were busy organising the troops. Shang kept looking at Mulan, marvelling at how; despite everything she seemed so calm. Even if he didn't show it, he was feeling more than uneasy. He didn't only have the responsibility taking care of his troops, but most of all he had the responsibility of making sure Mulan stayed alive and unhurt. He had promised her father, but most of all, he had promised himself.

After the briefing session of the tactics and situation, each of the officers went to check on the troops. The night was coming to an end and they would be leaving for battle soon. As Mulan walked towards her own troops, Shang caught up with her.

"Mulan, I want you to lead the Cavalry to battle. You have trained them well, and it's thanks to you that they excel at both horsemanship and the use of bows." He said in a tender voice, very unmilitary, which seemed rather odd to Mulan considering the current situation. "I couldn't ask for anyone better to do the job." Mulan smiled seeing the pride shining in his eyes. "But please." He said putting a hand on her shoulder and bringing her slightly closer to him. "Please, try to stay safe." She gave him a reassuring smile, but then she took his free hand in both of hers and looking up to him she said:

"You too Shang." Then she left without another word.

Shang then realised how he missed the warmth of her hands holding his.

...

Mulan was on top of her horse, already dressed in her armour and with her quiver attached to Khan's saddle, and so were the five hundred men she was commanding. They were all behind her forming perfectly straight rows. Behind them one could see the foot archers and swordsmen. Ahead of her, the two Generals sat proudly atop of their horses side by side (for the first time since they had left Kashgar).They had a great army. She just hoped it was big enough to overpower the Turks.

Suddenly General Su gave the signal to move out and the troops started moving.

Now, Mulan realised, there was no way back.

They were marching into battle.

* * *

A/N: well! I hope you liked this chapter! Finally they are going to war! Hehehe!

I wanted to thank all the readers who put this story on "Story Alert" or made it a favourite. It really means a lot to me!

I also want to thank the people who reviewed the last chapter:

**Lawandordersvu1**

**Canadarulz**

I'm glad you liked the last chapter, and as promised here is a new one, nice and long!

Now it would mean a lot to me if you reviewed this chapter pleaaase! (you could do it as a late Christmas present! Hehe!)

Historical Notes:

Su Song's _Bencao Tujing_ (Illustrated Pharmacopoeia) is a real Chinese book which talks about all types of herbs.

The _Akinci_ were also real people. They were part of the light Cavalry (they didn't wear heavy armour) of the Ottoman Empire's military. They were one of the first divisions to face the opposing military and were known for their prowess in battle. Unpaid, they lived and operated as raiders on the frontiers of the Ottoman Empire, subsisting totally on plunder. In battle their main role was to demoralise the opposing army and put them in a state of confusion and shock. Outside the battlefield they were used as scouts.

Having said all this, the only thing you have to do is press the "Review" button below and tell me what you thought of this chapter! Thanks!


	17. Chapter 17

Disclaimer: All characters in this story are the rightful property of Disney, except for Luo Jin, Captain Hsiao Tso-liang and Captain Ma Yuan, who belong to icedragon6171 and Captain Wo Chen and Huo Feng who belong to me!:)

**Towards the Setting Sun**

**Chapter 17**

Battle.

That was a simple word but meant a great deal of things. So much was at stake right now, so many lives.

That was what Mulan thought as she sat atop of her stallion realising that day could be the last she ever lived. She remembered not having thought that during or before her encounter with the Huns, but back then she hadn't had time to ponder much about anything, she had just _done_ things, like the stunt she pulled with the cannon on the mountains. But now everything was different. Now she had five hundred men under her command. They trusted her to lead them into battle, but did she really trust herself? She felt responsible for every single one of her men's lives.

As she thought about this she looked behind her. She saw all of her men looking ahead with apparent confidence. They were ready to fight for their country, she thought. She noted the missing soldiers. The foot archers had been sent by Shang to go and hide in the forest. General Su and Shang had developed a good strategy which combined both attack and defence. Everything had been taken into account. Mulan just hoped it was good enough.

Some meters ahead Shang and General Su waited in silence. It was not silence Shang needed; it gave him too much time to think about what could happen. Not to him, he was ready to die for his country, just like his father had done about a year before. But he couldn't help feel fear for his soldiers, but most of all for Mulan. He would have to be the one to give the horrible news to her family. He was responsible for her, even if she refused to acknowledge that fact, because he had promised her father, but most of all he had promised himself.

He looked at her. She was surveying her troops with what seemed to be a total confidence and serenity, but so much time getting to know her had taught him that with her, one had to look behind the appearances. She suddenly turned her head to look straight at him. He couldn't see the whole of her face because she had her helmet on, but he could see her eyes, and it was enough. He saw them shine with fear. She was afraid, even if she tried to hide with a slight upturning of her lips. He smiled reassuringly at her, and saw her smile broaden, but the fear was still there, in her eyes. Seeing that made him realise how afraid _he_ was. He was ready to die for his country and his Emperor, but that didn't mean he wasn't afraid. He who was not afraid of death was truly a fool.

Shang thought that the best way to distract himself from those rather dark thoughts would be to go over the plan of battle in his head again. He knew that plans were just plans, and that reality, especially in critic situations, was much different. Still, the planning was needed. Shang thought that they had chosen a very convenient battlefield: a large plain with a forest beside it, where they had hidden their archers in strategic positions to be able to surround the enemy when it came. But he didn't know what was going to happen. He and General Su had worked during the whole night to the best of their abilities, but the Turks knew the terrain so much better.

His train of thought was suddenly cut short by the sound of a war horn. He looked up and saw a great army galloping towards them. General Su and himself both spurred their horses to turn around and started shouting orders here and there. Shang directed a quick glance at Mulan; she was also shouting orders to her soldiers, and to his surprise, he saw that her fear was gone, replaced by a sheer determination.

Mulan looked at Shang, and their eyes met once again. She saw how he took his sword out of the scabbard and pointed at the enemy with it. As he did that the sunlight was reflected in it, creating a halo of light around him, which made him look like a war god. Without looking back, Shang shouted the first order, marking the beginning of the battle.

...

Her vision was blurred by her sweat and by blood that wasn't her own. Mulan swiped both of them from her eyes with her left hand while she used the right one to block her opponent's attack to her stomach with her sword. She had managed to stay atop of Khan, and neither of them had been badly hurt, only some cuts and scratches. Khan was a good warhorse, with quick reflexes, which had saved both him and Mulan from a sure death more than one time. She finally managed to disarm her opponent, who suddenly looked at her with a terrified expression as she sliced his throat in one swift motion.

She had lost count of how many men she had killed that day, but every time her sword pierced the body of her opponent, rendering him still forever, she couldn't help but feel disgusted with herself. Was it really necessary to take other people's lives to assure the peace of one's country? Wasn't there any other way? But they were at war, weren't they? There was no other way right now. She just had to do what she had been ordered, no time to think about it.

As she killed the next Turk who had dared to face her, she looked around. Her men followed her faithfully, heeding her every word, but many of them had been killed, and the battle didn't look like it was going to end any time soon. The Turks were easily overpowering them, almost effortlessly. They would have to withdraw very soon if they wanted to have any chances to win the war.

Suddenly something occurred to her. They had hidden some foot archers in the forest which had weakened one of the flanks of the enemy. Mulan could still see some of the arrows coming from the forest and she had seen some of those archers joining the main battle led by their Captain, whose name Mulan could not recall. Who had been left in charge of the archers in the forest? If there was no officer with them, then Mulan would be able to set her plan into motion without interference. She spurred her horse around and ordered her soldiers with a cry to retreat towards the forest.

As she began to gallop towards it, a Turk placed himself in front of her, also atop of a powerful looking stallion. He tried to run his spear, which was already soaking with other men's blood, through her heart. Mulan, who had not expected this at all, clumsily dodged it, earning a cut on her arm, and the loss of balance which made her fall from her horse. Khan, in a faithful attempt to defend her, raised his front hooves to try to scare the man away, but he wasn't impressed and tried to kill him as well. Mulan, seeing this, and knowing that her obstinate horse wouldn't leave her while she was in danger she ordered a nearby soldier:

"Take the horse to the forest where the others are and await further orders!"

The soldier immediately did as he had been told and she stood up to face the menacing Turk who was still attempting to kill her. Just as she did that she was thrown again to the floor when he hit her on the ribs with the other end of the spear. The unbearable pain that pierced her side unabled her to breathe for a fraction of a second, but that was all her opponent needed. He threw the spear at her with all the strength his body possessed, but she managed to roll on her side and the spear missed its target, soaring past her, its pointed end diving into the ground some inches ahead.

Mulan quickly stood up again and her hand darted to her scabbard, but she didn't feel the familiar touch of her sword's hilt. She realised her sword had fallen down from her hand when she had fallen down from Khan. Without taking the time to look for it, she picked up the spear her opponent her used to try to kill her, and spun it around quickly with one hand so that the pointed end faced the enemy. She managed to harm the horse on the side with it, and as a result, it whinnied, and with a violent move it tried to throw its rider off. But he controlled it and took his own sword from his scabbard, swinging it towards Mulan to chop her head off. She gracefully ducked, however the Turk managed to knock her helmet off her head.

While she was still ducking, she found her sword lying on the floor, much to her surprise. She took it, and having it securely on her hand, she used the hilt to hit the Turk on the back of his head, rendering him unconscious. She then got on top of his horse and galloped towards the forest, killing every Turk who got on the way.

When she got to the forest, she saw that many men were already assembled there. Most of them were her own, but there were also many archers who had been there from the beginning of the battle. The Turks hadn't dared to enter the forest, since they knew that there were many Chinese hiding in it.

"As you see, this battle doesn't look like it's going to end any time soon, so I have a plan to weaken their flanks, specially their rear guard." Mulan said when she had got everyone's attention. "They have a strong defence and a very efficient attack, as I'm sure you have all realised. Also our forces grow weaker by the minute, so it's our duty to do something to help them. Soldier!" She said suddenly to a man standing near her. "You're a foot archer, aren't you? You've been here the whole time..."

"Yes Captain Fa." He said respectfully.

"Well, then, do you still have any cannons left?" She asked.

"We do Captain."

"Good. You know we can't fire them, because we risk of harming our comrades, but we could empty the gunpowder of some of them and use it to create a fire behind the rear guard to unable their retreat. Some men will have to stay here, at one end of the fire line to kill anybody who comes; others will have to do the same in the other side. The rest of you will come with me to distract the Turks while two of you spread the gunpowder along the field. Those two have to have their flints ready to light the powder at my signal. Everything's understood?"

"Yes, Captain!" They exclaimed in unison.

"Good, then let's get ready!"

While she sorted out their respective positions giving each group specific tips to carry out the task at hand, she took a moment to look at the sky. The sun was slowly setting. In no more than three hours everything would be covered in darkness. They had to be quick.

She looked around to see if she could spot Shang. He was nowhere to be seen. She hoped he was all right, but despite her best efforts to convince herself that it was so, fear threatened to overwhelm her. For the first time she wondered what would happen to her, what would she do if Shang died? There were some many things she still needed to tell him...

Her thoughts stopped to wander when a soldier came up to her and said:

"We are ready, Captain."

"Very well, soldier let's begin"

Mulan gave the two soldiers in charge of spreading the gunpowder the signal to start doing so, and at the same time, she, along with her small group started running towards the Turkish rear guard. They had decided to leave their horses in the forest in order to appear less noticeable, and that way to be able to get close to their enemy before being spotted.

The rear guard's attention was focused on the main battle, so Mulan was able to kill many men before they realised that they had drawn their last breath. They soon noticed that they were being attacked, but it was already too late to react. They didn't have time to regroup, so the situation resulted in chaos. That gave advantages to the Chinese fighting in the front line since it enabled them to break through the Turkish defences while Mulan's men kept mercilessly killing everyone who got in their way.

Mulan gave the signal for the fire line to be lit, and so it was done. Te fire looked menacing and the Turkish troops didn't dare to go anywhere near it. They were quickly being surrounded by the Chinese troops with no apparent way of escaping. She suddenly caught sight of Shang. He was still atop of his horse and he had a fierce look on his face. She didn't want to be in the place of the Turk currently facing him, Mulan thought.

As Shang's sword was driven through the other man's torso, an enemy coming from behind pushed him of the horse with the aid of his shield. Shang, who hadn't seen the blow coming, was unable to block it or regain his balance, so he fell. He rolled to the side to avoid the sword's blow that was coming towards him. As she saw that, Mulan couldn't help but feel a pang of fear sweeping through her whole body. He was surrounded by so many enemies, he was probably injured, and the rest of his troop were not close enough to defend him although they tried, earning several cuts and blows in the way. She wished to go and assist him, but she couldn't. She was responsible for her soldiers, she was an officer, so she couldn't leave her post, especially since she had devised the plan, and the men might be in need of specific orders if, by some chance, an unfortunate event occurred. It pained her to do so, but she knew it was what Shang would have told her to do.

She looked from afar as he defended himself from the multitude attacking him. Luckily, some of his men managed to approach their struggling General and helped him with the raging Turks. They managed to successfully finish them off.

The Turks were losing, and they knew it. They had to retreat before the whole war was lost in a single battle. But they couldn't, they were surrounded.

The Chinese had won.

Or so they thought.

Before the word "victory" could come out from anyone's lips, rain started to pour down, soaking them all and making the flames quickly disappear much to Mulan's dismay. The Turks didn't think twice about it and sounded the retreat, leaving the Chinese behind.

No, they had definitely not won. Many of their soldiers had been killed and they had no possibilities of getting reinforcements until the winter passed. True it could have been a lot worse if it weren't for Mulan's idea, but still, there were many dead soldiers and even more who were badly hurt and who would take a long time to heal. Hopefully the Turkish army was as damaged as theirs, even though, they had the possibility of calling in reinforcements whenever they needed it, but at least, some time would pass until their next encounter.

* * *

A/N: weeeeeeeell... hope you all liked this chapter! Finally the action many of you have been waiting for! I apologise for taking so long to update, but the hard disk of my computer died, taking all the saved files to its grave (including several chapters of this story which were in progress...), so first I had to get a new computer, and then I had to write this chapter all over again.

I want to thank all the people who put this story on "Favourites" or "Story alert" I was surprised by how many people actually did it! It made me so glad (and still does!).

But of course, the reviewers are the people I'm most grateful to!I dedicate this chapter to you guys! THANK YOU SO MUCH!

So please revieeeew! It means so much to me! And all you have to do is click on the sign below and leave a word! Tell me what you think about the story!=)

So as I said this story goes to my kind reviewers:

-**CluelesAngel:** here you go! I'm sorry I didn't update any sooner...

-**Lawandordervu1:** hahaha! Here is another one, and don't worry, there will be many more to come!

-**Canadarulz:** yeah, I do love cliffhangers! Hope you liked this chapter as much as the last one!

-**skudiddle:** I'm glad you are so enthusiastic about the story! Hope this one has been as exciting as the last one!

-**SeventeenRoses: **thanks! I'm glad you like it!

-**Nefertiri Riddle:** thank you so much! Your review totally made my day! I'm glad you think my writing style is mature! That's what I aim for! Also thanks for telling me about the characterization of the characters (that sentence sounds weird, doesn't it? Hehehe!) I think that is a very important and basic issue for writing a good story! I hated Mulan 2 so I wanted to write a story showing how good it really could have been! Glad you think it's good too!=)

OK people, just one more thing! I'm starting evaluation exams next week, so I'm not going to be able to start writing until two weeks time! I'll try to update as soon as possible, but I don't assure anything! PLEASE! Give me luck during my exams!=)


	18. Chapter 18

Disclaimer: All characters in this story are the rightful property of Disney, except for Luo Jin, Captain Hsiao Tso-liang and Captain Ma Yuan, who belong to icedragon6171 and Captain Wo Chen and Huo Feng who belong to me!:)

**Towards the Setting Sun**

**Chapter 18**

Many months had passed since the first battle, and with them, many more battles, many more injured men, and many more dead men. However, they were not any closer to winning than what they had been on the very first day. Every time they managed to take one step forward, the Turks made them take two steps back. Even if Shang didn't show it, Mulan could see that he was getting more and more frustrated. That night they were both sitting inside Shang's tent talking about the upcoming battle. If it had been a few months before, Mulan would have been taking her usual lesson with Shang on the "Art of War" but it had been some time since Shang decided she had learnt all she could from that book. Now, as he had told her, it was time to put that knowledge into practice.

Mulan was now able to recite by heart some extracts of Sun Tzu's "Art of War". She was perfectly aware of how things had changed since the beginning of the trip. How her men had not only come to respect her as an officer, but they _trusted_ her in a way she had never imagined they would. They sometimes went to her, seeking counsel, and each time they did, she was glad to be able to answer, realising that she had gained experience, wisdom. But as she kept learning, she discovered how ignorant she really was, and that there was still a long way to go.

She briefly looked in front of her, to where Shang was sitting across the table, looking at a map of the area. She could see the look of concentration on his face as he moved one of the pieces representing one of their battalions slightly across the map. As if sensing Mulan's intense gaze on him, he looked up. Mulan looked into his eyes and lost herself in those big brown orbs _again. _How many times had she got distracted because him that evening? It seriously had to stop.

Those were Mulan's thoughts as Shang asked what she thought about the strategic movement he had just made on the map.

"Mulan? Are you actually paying attention?" He said with a scolding tone.

"Sorry, I am, it's just that I'm a bit tired, that's all. Training has been hard today."She smiled at him and started to answer his initial question, but he interrupted her.

"I told you that you should have taken more time to heal your would before returning to the fields. The loss of blood tends to make the body tired." He answered pointing at her bandaged arm.

"I'm alright, it's healing nicely." She answered remembering how she had got that wound. It had been during the last battle, due to a slow movement on her part. She hadn't wanted to tell Shang at first, but he had noticed it (Mulan knew he would, since the wound was not small enough to be hidden) and gave her a whole speech about how she shouldn't be so carefree with her own life. Mulan had noticed a long time ago that Shang wasn't like that with anyone else, just with her. It was a bittersweet feeling: on one side, it filled her with pleasure to know that he cared that much for her, but on the other side she felt that he was just protecting her because of her sex, because he thought she was weak.

"Well, I'm glad, because you know that we are going to engage the Turks in battle soon and I need you to be fit for it, I need you on the field." He said, suddenly turning very serious.

"Oh! General, you honour me! But rest assured, I will be fine when the time comes!" She said in a joking tone to lighten the now serious mood.

"Mulan." Shang said without acknowledging Mulan's joke. "War is not something you can take lightly! It's a matter of life or death! Of preserving your honour! Of keeping your country, your family, and even yourself safe! I've told you before that your life is not something you can toy around with!"

"Shang, I know. I think you should trust me a little bit more..." Mulan said matching Shang's tone.

"But I do trust you! I'm just concerned for your safety!"

"Oh, so you are just saying that because you don't believe I'm capable of taking care of myself!" Mulan replied getting angrier by the minute. "Shang, I've said it before, but I'll say it as many times as necessary for you to understand it! I think I have already proven myself worthy more than just once, and I also have proven that I'm capable of keeping myself alive! Everyone else in camp seems to understand that! Why can't you!" She finished with a scream. Anyone outside the General's tent would have wondered what on Earth was going on inside it.

"And do you think that just because you have proven all those things you just mentioned you can talk to me as you wish?" He asked in almost a whisper, raising his eyebrow ever so slightly. "No one in this camp dares to speak to me in such a disrespecting manner. Do not think that our friendship is some kind allowance for you to do so. You have done it before, but you will certainly not do it again."He kept saying in an even tone. Mulan almost hoped he screamed, for it would certainly be much less intimidating than this. "I will not tolerate this anymore. It pains me to say it, but if you ever show this kind of insubordination ever again I will have you punished." He was looking at her right in the eye; his anger was almost something palpable. "Now get out, you are dismissed." He said turning to look back at the map that was between them. He didn't even look up to see her exit the tent.

As Mulan walked to her tent she felt the anger building inside of her. He knew she was right! He knew he was treating her differently in comparison with the rest of the soldiers. Sometimes he behaved as a father who didn't want his child to grow up, to take up responsibilities.

When she arrived at her tent she realised that she wouldn't be able to get any sleep considering her current mood, so she decided to go and practise to the training fields.

...

As she practiced her sword moves she felt some of her anger evaporate, but just _some_ of it. It was very late. She knew she should have gone to bed a long time ago. She knew how tired she was going to be the following day.

'Or in a few hours.' She thought when she looked at the sky and saw that the moon had already begun to descend and that the midnight blue of the sky was being slowly replaced by a faint pink in its east side.

"_And do you think that just because you have proven all those things you just mentioned you can talk to me as you wish? No one in this camp dares to speak to me in such a disrespecting manner. Do not think that our friendship is some kind allowance for you to do so. You have done it before, but you will certainly not do it again. I will not tolerate this anymore. It pains me to say it, but if you ever show this kind of insubordination ever again I will have you punished."_Shang's words kept repeating themselves in Mulan's mind. He had never been so harsh to her. Not ever. Not even at Wu Zong when she was just clumsy Ping. But she was not going to be the one to apologise. Why did they finish with an argument every time Mulan wanted Shang to acknowledge that she was doing a good job? He was proud of her, he had said it in his own way many times, but she sometimes felt like he didn't trust her to make her own decisions wisely.

She remembered what had happened after their first encounter with the Ottomans on the battlefield; how Shang had reacted to the stunt she had pulled. Everyone had congratulated her, everyone except _him_:

_Mulan was inside her tent. She had just got changed and was about to walk to the infirmary to help with the care-taking of the wounded men when a soldier asked for permission to come in. Mulan granted it and after entering the tent, he said:_

"_Captain, General Li wants to see you in his tent as soon as possible."_

"_Thank you soldier, you are dismissed." She replied._

'_The medic will have to wait, I guess.' She thought._

_..._

"_Do you have any idea of what could have happened if the little stunt you pulled during the battle had gone wrong, Mulan?" Shang said once she had arrived to his tent._

"_But nothing happened, Shang, you shouldn't worry about what could have been." Mulan relied in a soothing tone._

"_And you shouldn't tell me what to do or not do! If I'm not mistaken that's my job!" Shang said, unaffected by Mulan's attempt to soothe him. "You are not just a soldier any more, Mulan." He continued in a calmer way as if he had realised he was being much too hard. "You are an officer! That means you're responsible for lots of lives. That means you can't risk them!"_

"_I know that Shang! And I was perfectly aware of the fact when I chose to do what I did! And the men followed me because they trusted my judgement, Shang! Why can't you!" Mulan retorted louder than what she probably should have._

"_Why are you so sure? The men followed you because of your rank. They didn't have any choice! Think about it, Mulan. Do you really think attacking the opponent's rear guard with so few men, men who were lightly armed and without a mount, to be more exact, is a sensible thing to do?" Shang said matching Mulan's tone of voice._

"_I don't know, Shang! At the moment I thought it was the best thing that could be done! It was me who blocked the Turks' escape with the fire line so that your men in the front line could trap them and annihilate them! What I tried to do back there was turn the tide of the battle! Give us a possibility of victory!"_

"_Oh, yes, Mulan, I'm not going to deny that, but if you recall correctly we had a plan! A plan to which you didn't stick! We could have been successful all the same if you had done what you had been _ordered_ to do." He said emphasising his last words._

"_The plan? Come on Shang! You cannot be serious!" Mulan replied, not bothering to mask her annoyance at all. "What was I meant to do? I had followed the plan! But the Turks had a plan of their own, which resulted in the scattering of our troops. We lost many men, Shang, I won't try to deny it, but don't tell me that we would be better off if I had stuck to the plan. Being an officer means making decisions when there is no one there to make them for you! You told me that, Shang, and when I heed your advice you tell me off! If I recall correctly you had some part in my appointment as a Captain! You should have thought about it twice if you didn't consider me good enough to take the post! Now, if you don't have anything else to say I'll take my leave. As a _Captain_ I have other duties to fulfil." Mulan concluded, perhaps a bit too harshly. She received nothing but silence and a cold look from Shang, so without further ado, she stood up and left. She knew she had crossed the line, talking to a superior as she had done, but she couldn't understand how Shang, knowing that they had achieved victory thanks to her, told her off for not having followed the plan! How many times had he told her during their evenings studying the "Art of War" that being an officer came with the responsibility of being able to make your own decisions in the moments of need while assuring the safety of your men?_

_..._

After dismissing Mulan from his tent, Shang couldn't help but wonder if she had been right. The map in front of him didn't mean anything anymore. He could no longer concentrate in the task at hand. He knew he had been too harsh on her. Mulan had always been an excellent soldier, one of his best, he dared to think. He couldn't risk losing her. He had promised her father he would bring her back. He knew Fa Zhou would be devastated if his daughter died in battle, and so would he, more than he dared to admit to himself.

That night Shang wasn't able to sleep either. He lay in his cot, wide awake, thoughts of Mulan and their recent argument filling his mind. He just hoped they would soon put their differences aside and start anew. He didn't know why but he got the feeling that this time that was going to be very, _very_ difficult.

...

Mulan was still practicing her sword moves when Captain Hsiao walked up to where she was.

"Good morning, Captain Fa." He greeted her with a smile.

"Good morning." She answered mirroring his smile half-heartedly. "You are truly an early riser!"

"Yes, I guess I am. But I could say the same about you"

"Oh! You should call me a 'late sleeper' then! I haven't been able to sleep all night, so I thought that I might just come here to do productive instead of waiting in my tent for morning to come." She answered, at which Captain Hsiao chuckled.

"Would you allow me to join you in your practicing?"

"But of course!" She replied, this time with a true smile.

Mulan and Captain Hsiao fought against each other until the rest of the camp rose up and then went to the mess hall to have breakfast. Mulan was glad for the time spent with her fellow Captain. Fighting against another human being had allowed her to let out all her frustration and anger. As a result her movements had been stronger but less calculated than usual. Hsiao Tso-Liang had noticed it, but had wisely decided not to ask anything about it.

When they finished their training they each went to their respective tents. Before parting Captain Hsiao said:

"Great sword play, as always."

"Thank you, you too. It was a pleasure having you as a companion during my training." She said with a smile. After having said that, they both turned away from each other to walk to their tents.

Mulan felt rather proud with herself. She had been able to beat the older Captain several times that morning, even though if she had been defeated the first four times in a row, due to her lack of focus as a consequence to her previous argument with Shang.

When she entered her tent she suddenly felt glad of her status in the Army. She was able to wash herself without fear of being disturbed. All she had to do was gather the courage to ask for a water basin to be brought to her tent. Such a basin was already sitting in its usual place, a little table in one corner of the tent. She undressed and washed herself quickly. Then, after getting dressed again, she ran to the mess hall. She didn't want to give Shang any other reason to chide her about anything. She met Captain Hsiao in the entrance, and they engaged in an animated conversation about the recent battles that had taken place recently as they walked towards the queue of hungry soldiers to grab their own share of that morning's tasteless rice.

Mulan chose to seat opposite to Shang in the officer's table to avoid any awkwardness, and talked happily to Captains Ma Yuan and Wo Chen for the entire duration of the meal, not sparing a single glance at Shang's direction, who was avoiding gazing her way all the same.

When they finished their meal and began to clear everything up and then to leave, Shang told Mulan to stay behind.

"Come to my tent with me, there is something I have to say to you." He said in a cold tone. She only nodded and followed him out, making sure to stay some steps behind him. Shang frowned slightly at the gesture, but decided not to make any comments.

When they entered Shang's tent, he picked up a scroll and opened it. He read its contents quickly and left it back on the table. Mulan noticed it had the Imperial seal on it.

"Make sure to let the troops know that they have to get ready to move out. We leave tomorrow, early in the morning. Tell the rest of the Captain as well."

"Is there something else, _sir_?" She asked coldly.

"No. You can leave now." He replied, matching the coldness of her tone. Then he turned around to pick the already open scroll from the table.

She left Shang's tent and did as she had been told. Apparently they were going to engage the enemy in battle again, sooner than expected. Many of the men hadn't had enough time to heal their wounds, and they were outnumbered at least seven to one. Mulan just hoped that the Generals had a good plan under their sleeves, because this battle was surely going to be tough.

* * *

A/N: so! Here it is! A new chapter! Mulan and Shang have argued again...And it seems that this time it's more serious than any time before! Who do you people think was right? Mulan or Shang? Tell me what you think and what you would like to see next! (I already have my ideas, but it's nice to hear new opinions and I might always change my mind!)

Sorry to you all for the long wait! But don't even think for a minute that I'm going to abandon this story! I have planned at least 12 more chapters (which will make 30 in total) but there might be more!

By the way! Thanks to those who added this story to their favourites or to 'Story Alert'! And special thanks to those who reviewed!

**Ella Palladino: **I'm glad you liked it! And sorry to disappoint, because there is not much affection in this chapter! But hopefully they'll make up soon!

**Crazy Hyper Lady:** thanks! Glad you like it! By the way! Great username! =)

**hpswst101: **thanks for the review! About Jin... as I said in my PM I don't know what I'm going to do yet, but I have several ideas! You'll see! Hope you liked this chapter as well! By the way! Thanks for wishing me luck in my exams! They went really well! And so did the ones after those!=) (I know, I haven't posted for a loooong time...)

**skudiddle: **here is your update! Hope you liked as much as the last one!

**KuraOkami13:** THANK YOU SOOOO MUCH! Your review really made my day!I know I already answered you via PM but I couldn't resist the urge of thanking you in the shout-outs as well! It's not everyday that I recieve praises like the ones you gave me in you review! Hope you liked this as well!

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To the rest of you ho have read this chapter/story, thanks! I hope you have liked it so far! Please revieeeew and tell me what you think!


	19. Chapter 19

Disclaimer: All characters in this story are the rightful property of Disney, except for Luo Jin, Captain Hsiao Tso-liang and Captain Ma Yuan, who belong to icedragon6171 and Captain Wo Chen and Huo Feng who belong to me!:)

**Towards the Setting Sun**

**Chapter 19**

"CAPTAIN! Watch your back!" Shouted one of Mulan's soldiers. She quickly turned around and stabbed the opponent who had attempted to sneak behind her, unnoticed, to kill her. Luckily for her, she had been prevented in time. She looked towards the man who had warned her of the danger and smiled with gratitude. The soldier gave a small nod to acknowledge her silent thanking. After that she jumped over the limp corpse in front of her and ran towards her next enemy. As she killed him, she caught sight of her stallion, from which she had fallen while trying to dodge a spear that had been thrown at her. She headed towards him and jumped on the saddle before resuming the pursue of the Turkish soldiers.

Mulan was glad this encounter with the Turks was going better than their previous one. They were finally making some progress. As much as she hated to admit it, because she still was at odds with her General for what had happened before leaving for battle, Shang's plan had had a great success: they had managed to divide and scatter the Ottoman Army without too much trouble, and before the real threat -the heavy Cavalry- had presented itself.

First of all they had eliminated most of the light Cavalry, the problematic _Akinci,_ with just a few cannons thrown from a strategic point where some of Captain Ma Yuan's men had been hiding. The _Akinci_ who had survived were forced to retreat, creating a situation of confusion which had enabled the Chinese foot men to divide the main Turkish troops in order to fight them in smaller groups, that way making the problem of the numeric disadvantage a minor one. While the foot men completed their task, General Su's archers attacked the right flank of the Turkish army, forcing them to retreat to the south, towards a canyon, surrounded by mountains controlled by the Chinese Army. Some Turkish archers had positioned themselves in those same mountains, but all of them had been swiftly and silently eliminated by Mulan and her men in order to stop them from running back to their main troops so that they wouldn't uncover their planned ambush in the canyon, where Shang was waiting with the main Army.

Mulan killed yet another man who got in her way. She was leading part of her troops, those who had a mount, down the mountain towards the entrance of the canyon. The rest of them had stayed behind, mainly her foot archers; guarding the mountain and ready to attack in case it was necessary.

As she kept descending the mountain with her men, she was able of observe how well the plan was working. The Turks, forced by General Su's archers were already entering the canyon, and they would soon encounter Shang and his men. She was meant to meet with the elder General and his forces to attack the rear guard, while Shang took care of those in front.

When General Su caught sight of her, he pointed forward with his blood stained sword, indicating that she should proceed with the attack as he, himself, and his men were already doing. She obeyed and begun charging forward with all the might she possessed.

They were quickly decimating the opponent's numbers. If they kept the good work up, the battle would be finished before the night fell.

A soldier to her right shouted something to her, awakening her from her brief reverie.

"Captain! Look! It seems the main troops have done a fine job! The Turks are trying to retreat!"

"Right," she whispered to herself. "Soldiers! Stand in formation!" She shouted at the men as they did what they had been told. "Make sure no Turk gets past any of you!"

She looked in General Su's direction and saw that he had ordered the same thing, although his foot men (Mulan didn't have any, since they were still guarding the mountain) were positioning themselves in front of the Cavalry, spears pointed at the Turkish troops which were heading their way.

Suddenly Genera Su ordered a section of his Cavalry to begin the attack. Mulan observed how they advanced and efficiently killed many men. But the Turks were desperate to escape, and desperation made them kill many of Su Dingfeng's men in return. They were quickly approaching Mulan and her men, and she knew that they were not going to be able to contain the horde of raging Turks heading their way.

She looked towards the mountain where her archers still waited for orders, and taking her bow and an arrow from her quiver, which was attached to Khan's saddle, she gave the signal to begin the attack by shooting her arrow high into the sky. Seconds later, arrows fell from the sky, killing many of the Turks below and certainly slowing the speed of all of them.

Mulan's next order was for some of her horsemen to attack, led by herself. She charged forward at full speed, killing every enemy in her path. She looked to her right and saw that General Su was doing the same further away. He was on foot. He must have fallen from his horse. Or maybe it had been killed.

She killed yet another man, this time by stabbing him with her sword in between his ribs, straight into the heart.

With her next opponent she wasn't so lucky. He attacked her from behind, jumping at her and throwing her off the saddle. As a result Khan bolted and galloped some meters ahead, leaving her mistress to face danger alone. Mulan, on her part, had avoided hitting her head on the floor, but instead, she had twisted her left wrist.

Meanwhile, her current opponent had taken his sword out of his scabbard, and raised it in the air to strike the final blow. As he brought the sword down, Mulan rolled to her left and took her sword out, just in time to block a second blow. She screamed in pain as the swords made contact, and she was forced to drop the sword down due to the increased pain she now felt in her left wrist.

Now, with no weapon to defend herself with, she silently prayed to her ancestors to let her live another day and to ease the pain on her wrist to enable her to fight further.

She picked a handful of the sandy soil and threw it at the Turk's eyes before he had any chance of attacking again. It blinded him momentarily, and he screamed in pain, just as Mulan had done some seconds before. He too dropped his sword, but it was to cover his eyes. Mulan picked it up from its forgotten place on the floor and then, with a swift movement, she raised her right foot from the floor and kicked him on the groin. He bent down, letting out another scream of pain. This gave Mulan the opportunity to stand up, raise the other man's sword and plunge it in his chest. When she did this, blood splattered in all directions. As she removed the sword, it flowed out, creating a dark pool at her feet.

Mulan looked around to find her own sword, but since it appeared to be nowhere in sight, she would have to keep her current weapon, even if the hilt did feel slightly strange on her hand.

She kept running forward, shouting orders to her men, while man after man died, slaughtered by her sword.

Suddenly the Turks sounded their retreat, and they all began to run towards the exit of the canyon, not wanting to be left behind by their comrades. General Su's and Mulan´s forces were able to restrain them for some time, but they were greatly outnumbered, since the main forces were further inside the canyon, so they were forced to let them escape to avoid losing any more men, something they could not afford, since they already had a numeric disadvantage.

On the mountains, the archers had been ordered to attack the fleeing enemy with everything they had, and Captain Ma's men were doing the same with their cannons.

As the Ottomans kept exiting the canyon, Shang's forces kept approaching General Su's, until Mulan was able to catch a glimpse of the former. He had not seen her yet. He was still atop of his stallion and apparently didn't have any visible wounds, but he looked quite worn down. He was trotting towards the elder General to, Mulan guessed, talk about the outcome of the battle.

Once all the Ottomans were out of sight, Mulan assembled all her men to see which were injured or dead and then report it to the Generals, just as they did after every battle.

There had been many losses, despite their good plan and apparent success. Mulan wondered for how long they would have to keep battling. It was true, she would do anything to keep her country and family safe, but she still couldn't avoid the nauseous feeling that overtook her every time she killed a man. Surely each and every man whose life she had taken that day had a family of his own, people who were waiting for him to return safe and sound. Mulan couldn't, nor wanted to imagine what would happen to her family if she died in battle. They would be devastated.

Not liking the morbid turn her thoughts had taken, she decided to concentrate on the task ahead, but she didn't have much time to do so, since one soldier several feet away from her suddenly shouted:

"Captain! Look!" Mulan turned to face the direction the soldier had pointed and she couldn't have looked more surprised nor horrified had she tried. Towards them were running several Turkish soldiers. The majority on foot, but there were about eight, as far as Mulan could see, that were riding horses.

It was suicide! Did the charging Ottomans really think they would survive? There were less than a hundred men!

Suddenly Mulan understood the clever but suicidal plan of the Turks. They had probably hidden during the battle, and had waited until the Chinese Army relaxed after the rest of the Turks had taken their leave, to attack. They knew that they weren't going to survive, but at least they would take as many Chinese soldiers with them as possible.

Mulan didn't hesitate to spring into action, and urged her men to do the same. The brief skirmish soon came to an end, with a Chinese victory, albeit not a very happy one, since they had lost many more men than they could afford. The fact that they had been distracted and not in formation when the Ottomans attacked came at a heavy cost.

Her men had finished the enemy off when she suddenly saw six of the horsemen gallop past them. Seeing that she was the only officer around she decided to take matters into her own hands. After all she was not disobeying any orders, since they had no plan for this surprise attack.

"You three! Mount your steeds and come with me!" She shouted to three men who had their stallions held by the reins. She, seeing Khan, who had finally decided to make his presence known, just some distance ahead, whistled for him to approach her. At the same time, she started to run towards him, her soldiers already following her on top of their respective horses.

She jumped on Khan, and ignoring the throbbing pain on her wrist, she began to follow the fleeing riders.

As she galloped behind them, she passed General Su. He was struggling with two men. Apparently all the foot men had not been killed yet. He used his sword to block an attack at his chest from one of the men, and was forced to duck to avoid a blow to the neck from the other one. That last move made him loose his balance slightly, but as a seasoned soldier as he was; he was able to regain it quickly. He finally managed to disarm his first opponent and made a long and deep cut along his back with his sword, making him drop to the floor, crying in pain.

While he did all this, his other opponent took the opportunity to attack him from behind. General Su belatedly realised that, however he had enough time to turn around and block his enemy's blow before it became deadly. The Turk didn't think twice about attacking again, and this time, he managed to disarm the General, who was able to dodge the next blows, albeit obtaining a nasty cut in the leg in the process.

Mulan, seeing the General's moment of weakness, and noticing that the Turk had risen his sword one more time to deliver the final blow, didn't hesitate to take her bow and one arrow out of the quiver. She placed the arrow in the bow and pulled the string back and let the arrow fly towards the Turk.

...

General Su knew he was trapped. He knew he was going to die.

He watched in horror as the Turk brought his sword down. He couldn't move. The Turk had grabbed one of his arms making it impossible to get away.

He closed his eyes and waited for the blow to come...

...But it never did.

He could still hear the screams around him, the swords clashing against each other; and he could still perceive the stench of sweat and blood that filled the air.

He opened his eyes and watched with surprise as the Turk's body fell limply to the floor.

Now he saw what had stopped him. An arrow was sticking out of his back. The tip had pierced the skin under his left shoulder, straight into the heart, and dark red blood was quickly staining the sand coloured tunic he wore under his armour.

He looked ahead and spotted his saviour.

It was none other than Mulan, that girl-soldier he had wanted to send home some months ago. Now he realised that if he had, he would probably be dead.

Her intense gaze was fixed on him as she rode past. The corners of her lips twitched up into what seemed to be a smile. He nodded his silent thanks and he then saw her smile broaden.

Then she was gone, with three other riders behind her.

...

"Hyah!" Mulan shouted, urging Khan to move even faster. Having killed that Turk who had been fighting General Su had forced her to slow down slightly to ensure an accurate shot. She had succeeded, and she felt proud for it, it seemed all the practice had paid off, but the riding Turks had put more distance in between them.

She took another arrow out of her quiver and threw it at the last of the fleeing riders. She hit the mark again and the man fell down from the horse. 'Five more to go.' Mulan thought.

The riders, noticing they were being attacked, didn't hesitate to counterattack. The one who was now in last in the row turned around, bow in his hand and ready to shoot.

The arrow had been skilfully shot, however the soldier at which it was directed had quick reflexes and managed to dodge it by ducking in time. Mulan wasn't so lucky. She made the mistake of looking behind her to ensure the soldier was all right, and that's when the enemy took his chance to aim his next arrow at her.

This time, it did hit its target, making Mulan fall to the floor.

Luckily the hardened leather of her armour had done a good job protecting her, and so the arrow hadn't pierced her skin.

...

Shang was having a bad time.

He had been thrown off his horse and was battling four men all by himself. They were circling him, making it impossible for him to escape. He knew that if he concentrated on one or two, the rest of them would attack him from behind, so he had taken a defensive stance, blocking all the attacks they threw at him, not daring to counterattack.

Thankfully one of his men, one who was nearby, attacked one of the Turks from behind, diving his sword into the other man's back. Shang thanked his ancestors for the sudden moment of luck. The three other soldiers got momentarily distracted, which gave the young General the perfect opportunity to attack.

He stuck his sword on the ground and used it as a lever to thrust himself up and threw a kick at one of the three men still standing. He heard the bone-cracking sound of the man's nose breaking when his booted foot collided with his face, and then his pained cry filled the air.

Shang moved fast; the next thing he did was use the hilt of his sword to hit the next man on the head, managing to successfully knock his helmet off. Shang observed that the man had a long scar that went all the way down his scalp and it was perfectly visible despite the thick mane of black hair he possessed.

Scarred-scalp pushed him with strength, but he managed to hold his ground and raised his sword to finally kill him. However Scarred-scalp managed to get a grip on Shang's wrist, so the blow was never delivered. Instead, Shang used his knee to kick the other man in his crotch with all his strength. As a result, Scarred-scalp bent down in pain, and removed his hand from Shang's wrist, allowing him to resume his attack on the man.

When he turned around, he discovered that the fourth and last of the men had been killed. By whom, he didn't know.

Suddenly he was hit by a staff on the stomach. The blow knocked the air out of his lungs and forced him to bend down in pain. When he looked up to see who had delivered the blow he was surprised to see it had been Broken-nose. His face broke into a sickening smirk.

He stepped forward, staff in hand, but Shang was quicker, and with one swift turn of his body, he landed a punch on Broken-nose's jaw, then, with a swing of his sword, he cut the man's right arm, the one holding the damned staff. Then, before the man had time to scream, Shang stabbed him on the back. After he drew his sword out of the now still body, it felt down beside the detached limb, staining the soil with blood.

When Shang turned around, the first thing he saw was Mulan riding, with some of her men some steps behind her, after five Turks who were also mounted on horses. Suddenly an arrow crashed against Mulan's chest, knocking her down. Shang was too far away to determine if she was all right, or if she had been hurt. He prayed to his ancestors for the former.

He saw that Mulan's men were not as fast as her, so the Ottomans were quickly getting away. Shang quickly ran towards Khan, who had stopped galloping upon seeing that his mistress had fallen down. As he ran past some of his men, he ordered them to go and check on 'Captain Fa'. Once he reached Khan, he jumped on the saddle and urged him forward. The stallion whinnied in protest when he didn't recognise his new rider, but obeyed Shang's order nevertheless.

"Do with the men as you see fit, but make sure you don't hurt the horses." Shang looked over his shoulder to shout the order at Mulan's men, who were still riding behind him.

Khan was a powerful horse, and he had a big stride, so it didn't take Shang long to reach their opponent. They had already exited the canyon and they were quickly leaving the rest of the Army behind.

"Soldier! Throw me your bow!" Shang shouted to the one nearest to him when he saw that Mulan's quiver was full of arrows but contained no bow. 'She must have been holding it when she fell.' He thought. The soldier did as ordered, and Shang caught it in mid-air.

He tied Khan's reins in a knot before placing his free hand on the saddle to thrust himself up, so that he stood on a crouching position on top of it. He then used one of the arrows to knock down one of the men. When he fell off the horse, dead, Shang jumped off Khan to take the man's place atop of his horse.

"Don't let the horse run away!" Shang shouted to the men behind him meaning Khan. The Turks, upon hearing the General's voice so near turned around. The one nearest to Shang drew out his sword, but he was quickly taken care of by one of Shang's men behind them.

"Good work, soldier. Keep that up! And make sure this horse doesn't get away either. I want to bring all of them back to the canyon." Shang said looking over his shoulder once more.

Shang realised that, even if he still held the bow in his hand, now he was missing the arrows, and his men were too far behind him to give him anything, so he bent down and took his knife out of his boot, and with a flick of his wrist, he threw it ahead. The knife hit its mark and yet another Turk fell to the ground. There were only two more to go. Shang jumped on the horse ahead and kept galloping forward. To his great dismay, both of the men turned towards him, bows in hand, and shot. Shang was able to dodge one of the arrows, however, the other one made its way to his shoulder. Shang felt its tip pierce his skin but luckily, his armour had protected him from getting a deep wound. He tore the arrow away from his shoulder and resumed his pursue of those ahead.

Again one of them was brought by his men's arrows. This time three arrows could be seen sticking out of the Turk's back. Shang jumped on his horse, which was galloping just beside the other one, so as soon as he landed on the saddle, he threw himself at the other man, causing them both to fall to the ground. The Turk, who was missing several teeth, and the ones he did have were a disgusting yellow colour, punched him on the jaw, but Shang, managing to overcome the nauseous feeling that overtook him after being hit, punched him on the stomach, and then turned him around, so that he laid facing the floor. He held his arms above his head, securely pressed against the ground, and had also pressed a knee between the man's shoulder blades to avoid him getting up. Once his grip was firm and tight on the other man, he took his sword out and hit him with the hilt on the side of the head, rendering him unconscious.

When he stood up, his men were trotting his way, all the horses gathered by the reins. When they reached him, he mounted Khan.

"Let's go back, men. The rest of the troop will be wondering where we've gone."

...

Mulan had finally managed to find her lost sword. But she hadn't been so successful in finding her lost horse. She had been unconscious, or so she had been told. She guessed she must have hit her head on the ground after falling from Khan. She hoped he was all right. He was a fine horse, very well trained, and it would pain her to lose him, since he was like a friend to her.

Suddenly Mulan saw Shang approach her, Khan's reins in his hand. She didn't know why but she felt happy to see the General alive and without realising it, the corners of her lips twitched into a smile, one that he returned. Upon seeing it, she remembered that she was still angry at him, so she schooled her face into a mask of seriousness. Shang seemed confused at Mulan's sudden change of attitude, but didn't make any comments.

"I believe this belongs to you." He said with a lopsided smile while handing her the reins.

"Thank you." She replayed icily. Then she turned around to leave. But gathering some courage, Shang caught hold of her hand and made her turn around to face him.

"Mulan..." He began, his expression turning serious and concerned. Mulan looked at him expectantly, waiting for him to continue. "...I guess we'll talk later. The men need our attention."

"Oh." She whispered, looking at the floor. "You're right, I should be going." What had she been waiting for? An apology? She highly doubted that would happen, especially considering who it would be coming from. It wasn't that she believed him incapable of apologising, he had already proved he could, but this time he thought he was right, just in the same way she believed she was. So Mulan didn't know how much time it would take for them to sort the problem out.

Shang turned around and left her alone.

"Take the horses away and arrange for their care." She heard him say to some men who she recognised as her own.

She too turned around and walked away from him, with Khan following her faithfully behind. Her thoughts suddenly drifted to her family. She hoped they were all right. She remembered the smell of the magnolias, the sound of the grass when it was swayed by the wind, Grandma Fa's constant jokes at her expense, and above all her father's wise advice. Perhaps he would be able to tell her what was the right thing to do in her current situation.

In that moment, that was the only place where she would like to be: at home.

A/N: here goes another chapter! I think this one is the longest one in the whole story! So be glad! And to thank me for my kindness and for posting it so quickly (not even a week has passed since I posted my last one…!) you know you can always **review!**

I wanted to thank all the people who added this story to their favourites or to 'Story Alert'. Thank you people! You have no idea how much it means to me!

But of course, the thing I feel most grateful about are the reviews! You guys are the ones that really keep me going! So here are all the shout-outs!

**Crazy Hyper Lady:** thank you soo much! I'm glad you saw it as clearly as I intended you to! Although I don't really want them to harm themselves…=)

**KuraOkami13:** thanks again for your amazing review! Yes, I think Shang was right too, even if I got many different opinions from many people… As you say Shang is her superior, so she has to obey him, and stick to his orders… Although Mulan did what she thought was right! I know, and Shang should have felt thankful for it, but he decided to use his authority in an attempt to keep her safe. I'm not going to tell you who is going to apologise first! You'll see! Hahahah! (please do not think I'm evil!). By the way! More subtle fluff is certainly going to come! I love it just as much as you do!

**hpswt101:** I completely agree with you! The shouting didn't help Mulan much, did it? And about Shang telling her how he feels… you'll see what happens! Thanks for the review! Hope you've liked this chapter as well! (By the way! You got the spelling almost right. It's 'devastated'.)

**camelotprincess1: **yeahh… I think they both are right in their own way… Here is your update! Tell me what you thought about it!

**XxtheBurgundyRosexX:** (here are your shout-outs for both of your reviews and the PM you sent me!).

1. (Review ch15). Thanks again for all that praise! I hardly think I deserve it! Although I agree with you, icedragon does! If I hadn't thought this story was so good I wouldn't have decided to continue it! I'm really glad you think I'm doing a good job continuing the story, because I put a lot of effort into trying to do so! I'm also glad you've become obsessed with this story! I couldn't ask for anything better!

2. (Review ch18). Hahahahah! Thanks again for the review! So glad you're excited about it! My evilness doesn't let me reveal anything about how the story is going to turn out… You'll just have to keep reading, I guess!

3. (PM). Surely you didn't think by 'soon' I meant so soon, did you? Thanks for thinking the quality hasn't diminished! I would be devastated if it did, especially after all the efforts I put into writing each chapter! I know what you mean.. it's true fanfiction has got rather sloppy lately! I find it so hard to find good Mulan stories anymore! And every time I do, I feel devastated when I see it's discontinued…! Well, in fact I'm Spanish…! But I lived in England for a while, so I'm glad you think my English is that good!

**Soooo… before leaving you, I would like to ask all of you, my dearest readers, what you think about my continuation of the story! I have already written a few chapters, so you might all have a slight idea about it. What I really need to know is if you think I'm doing a good work keeping the original quality of the story up (you know what I mean: diversity of vocabulary, no spelling or grammar mistakes, good descriptions that help the reader build a general idea of the surrounding environment in their heads… and anything you can think of!) But the thing I mostly withed to know is what you think about my battle scene writing! Are they exciting, or boring? Can you feel the action, the tension of the main characters? You know, that sort of thing…** **You see, I have never written a battle scene before, and no one has explained me how to do them, so I don't consider myself very good at it…!**

**Well! Thanks for your attention! Please review answering to my questions and telling me what you thought about this chapter as well!**

**Crazyalmu007!**


	20. Chapter 20

Disclaimer: All characters in this story are the rightful property of Disney, except for Luo Jin, Captain Hsiao Tso-liang and Captain Ma Yuan, who belong to icedragon6171 and Captain Wo Chen and Huo Feng who belong to me!:)

By the way! In my last chapter I forgot to include a brief Historical Note so here it is! (Hope I don't bore you too much...)

For the Chinese Army, as well as for other well known armies of the Ancient and Medieval age, such as the Roman, it was not the number of soldiers that mattered the most when facing the enemy, no; it was the strategy, the way to approach the opponent. That's why order and formation was so important, not only in the battlefield, but at camp, and every other aspect of army life. Good strategy generally meant victory. Even Sun Tzu says so in his book "Art of War".

I wanted to include that after last chapter because you might have noticed that I took special care explaining all the planning and strategy, so I thought you might have wondered why. I did it also because I thought some of you might have wondered why our main characters seemed so horrified when less than a hundred Turkish soldiers attacked the whole Chinese Army (some of you might have thought _'but they know they are going to win, don't they? So why be so afraid?'_ Well, here is your answer: because they had broken their formation and they weren't ready to face an attack).

Now, to business: enjoy the chapter!

**Towards the Setting Sun**

**Chapter 20**

They had begun to march back towards their camp, but since it was too dark they decided to stop and camp for the night.

Mulan got her troops settled fairly quickly, and after doing so, she went to the medic's tent to see if she could help in any way with the injured men. Upon her arrival the medic smiled gratefully at her, although it did not reach his eyes: he was too aware of the fact that there was no place for happiness in the battlefield. As she tried to ease the pain of the injured men, whether it was physical or psychological, she reflected upon all those comrades in arms they had already left behind. Many had died today; it had probably been the bloodiest battle she had ever seen.

Before leaving, they had given their comrades a proper burial, one worthy of a soldier, one that would please the gods and their respective ancestors, and which would grant them reincarnation. As they did so, Mulan wondered what would happen to her family if she died in battle. Right now there were families who wouldn't see their loved ones ever again, and she asked herself if that was her fate as well. It had been too long since she had last seen her parents; so long she was afraid she was starting to forget what they looked like, what their voices sounded like, the smell of her grandma's cooking... She didn't like the grim turn her thoughts had taken, and decided to proceed with her task. Her duty now was to stay alive and to help her comrades do the same: that way, they would manage to end the war as soon as possible and get back home.

"Captain." Said the man she was currently trying to heal. He had been stabbed in the stomach and blood kept flowing out, even though it had been bandaged with great amounts of cloth. She recognised him as one of her archers. "It's been an honour fighting by your side. I couldn't have asked for a better leader". He managed to finish the sentence with difficulty.

"Shhhhh."Mulan said realising he was probably not going to make it. "Don't strain yourself. You're going to need all your energy."

"Captain." He repeated. "Please, tell my family-"He stopped abruptly to catch his breath. "Tell my family I died honourably in battle, in an effort to save y country and my Emperor."

Mulan held his hand to reassure him, not noticing the lone tear that raced down her own cheek. "I will." She answered, but when she looked down, she saw that the soldier had exhaled for the last time. She gently lifted her hand to close his eyes.

Suddenly a soldier came in.

"Captain Fa." He said as his right fist collided with his left extended palm in a saluting gesture. "General Su requires your presence at his tent."

She stood up and walked to the water basin situated at the entrance of the tent to clean her hands and face, both which were covered in sweat, dirt and blood. Once she was more or less clean, she turned to the soldier and said:

"Lead the way."

...

"General." Mulan said upon being granted permission to enter the tent, imitating the saluting gesture the soldier had given her mere minutes ago.

"Please, sit down." He said with a smile, gesturing to the cushions situated around a low table. She did as she was told wondering what all this could be about. As the General sat in front of her, she looked at the map that was on the table to avoid any eye contact.

"Upon our first meeting," The General started in a casual tone. "I told you that I had met your father when he was in the military."

'Yes, he had.' Mulan thought recalling that first meeting at the gates, when they were still in Kashgar. It seemed like so long ago.

"I had the privilege of fighting alongside him several times." He continued after a slight pause as if to allow the words to sink into Mulan's mind. "He was one of the greatest soldiers I have ever known. Until today, I thought that you were nothing like him, you were nothing but a distraction to the men, and you had no place here in the Army. I wanted to send you home." Mulan couldn't help but wince slightly at the rather direct and perhaps too sincere comment. "However," He continued, looking straight into Mulan's eyes. "Today you proved me wrong. The apple has not fallen far from the tree. Or at least not as far as I had thought." He concluded in a jesting tone.

Mulan gave him a slight smile. "Thank you General."

"I believe this belongs to you." He stated placing an arrow on top of the table. Mulan recognized it as her own. She looked back up to him and waited for him to continue. "I am indebted to you. If it were not for you, I would be dead. Thank you Fa Mulan."

Mulan stared at him in awe, not believing what she had just heard. She discreetly pinched the back of her left hand to assure herself that she was indeed not dreaming. Before the awkward silence stretched between them for too long, she managed to mutter a shy 'Thank you sir'

"I hope you continue to honour our Army the way you have today, Captain Fa."

"I will certainly do my best, General." She said, this time with more confidence.

"However do not think, not even for a moment, that this grants you allowance to commit _any_ mistakes." He added in a much harder tone. Nevertheless, when she looked up she saw that a smile was gracing his normally stern features.

The conversation was cut short when they heard the rustling of the tent flaps and saw a figure in General armour enter.

"General." Mulan stood and saluted the newcomer with respect, but her eyes remained hard as she looked upon him. He, in exchange looked at her with shock and confusion, as if asking what she was doing at the other General's tent. She offered no response to his questioning gaze.

"Captain Fa. Go to your tent, you need to rest; we are leaving as soon as dawn breaks. I need to have a private word with General Su." Shang said, his voice showing no kind of emotion.

Mulan bowed and then turned to the elder man.

"Thank you General." She said with a small smile. Then without any more words, she turned and left, arrow in hand.

...

As Mulan rode beside Captain Hsiao she kept thinking about all that had happened the previous night. She had finally proven herself to General Su, hence her chances to be sent home had diminished quite considerably, however she was still aware that any mistakes on her part could still cause her to be sent away in shame. She knew she had to prove herself more than anyone else because she was a woman, but if she had managed to reach her current position, she was determined to keep going.

"Looks like the General's mood hasn't improved much." Hsiao Tso-Liang's voice came from her right suddenly waking her from her reverie. She looked up to him and then to Shang, who was only a few meters ahead of her. She studied his features and agreed with her fellow Captain: despite the helmet the general was wearing, the scowl on his face was perfectly visible. He had been wearing the same expression ever since their argument, so she suspected she had played a major role in achieving his current mood. She truly felt bad about it, and had even considered apologising to him, but then the memory of everything he had said to her that day, how he had disrespected her, struck her like a lightning bolt, and thus her stubbornness returned to her as did her anger for the man.

"Well... we won't have to worry about it for much longer. As soon as we arrive at camp, he will be buried under paperwork and his frowns will no longer disturb us." Mulan answered in a bitter voice earning a questioning glance from the other Captain, which she chose to ignore. But he kept pressing her.

"You two are good friends... maybe if you talked to him..." He said hesitantly.

"If he wants to talk about his problems with me, he'll let me know. Meanwhile I have nothing to say to him." She said more angrily than she intended to. "Sorry."Her expression changed to a softer one. "I'm just tired and want to arrive at camp." Captain Hsiao nodded, but the shocked expression didn't leave his face.

"Halt!" Shang shouted suddenly raising his hand. Mulan looked ahead to try to discover the reason for such an order. It was not hard: up ahead the mist had covered everything, making it impossible to see anything. It would be a perfect area to set up a trap.

"Captain Hsiao! Choose a few men and then scout the terrain up ahead! We'll be waiting for you here." Shang said in his authoritative voice.

'Great!' Mulan thought angrily. 'Not only he deprives me of conversation but he gives another the task he would have given me, were we not in such bad terms with one another!' She stared pointedly at him, but he diplomatically ignored her.

"See you later Captain Fa." Tso-Liang said with a smile before turning away to heed the General's orders.

She watched as he disappeared in the mist with his chosen soldiers

...

"General!" One of the men Captain Hsiao had chosen to take with him came running towards them. As he reached them Mulan was able to see that his face was smeared with blood. "We were attacked! It wasn't the Turk Army thought, just a few bandits. There were not many of them, so we finished them off easily, however four of our men are dead, and the Captain is very badly injured! He needs medical attention urgently!"

"Call the medic!" General Su said to his men and they sprung into action upon hearing his order.

'No time.' Mulan thought. 'If we keep waiting he'll be dead by the time we arrive!' She suddenly sprung into action herself and looked at Captain Wo Chen, who was atop of his horse a few meters behind General Su. He looked back at her, and without exchanging any words but having understood each other perfectly, they spurred their horses forward towards the place where Captain Hsiao was supposed to be. The Generals noticed immediately and ordered them to come back. Captain Wo did as told, but Mulan was bold (or stupid, she still had to decide) enough to disobey a direct order.

"Bring the medic as soon as possible!" Shang ordered one of his men before urging his horse to move forward to chase Mulan. Khan's stride was longer than his own horse's, however Shang managed to reach Mulan's side. She kept galloping with determination, not even acknowledging the man that was now riding beside her, despite the fact that she had just disobeyed him.

"Mulan! What do you think you're doing? I ordered you to fall back and yet you ignore me? I don't care if you are angry with me, I am your superior and you will obey me! Do I make myself clear? Do you think that just because you are in General Su's good graces currently you may do as you please?"

Mulan took a deep breath before answering.

"Shang this isn't about you, me or General Su! In case you didn't hear the soldier back there, Captain Hsiao is _dying_, and the rest of the men are injured too, which means probably nobody is tending to the Captains wound right now! Someone had to go there before the medic was able to gather all the items necessary!"

"Oh! So you decided to play the hero? If I recall you have no medical training Mulan! Don't be a fool!" Shang said matching Mulan's bitter tone. To answer to that Mulan just spurred Khan to go even faster, quickly leaving Shang behind.

She finally reached the area where the men had been attacked. As the soldier had reported, there were several dead bandits lying on the floor. She also spotted four of their men dead, just as the soldier had said. The rest had suffered minor injuries and were tending to one another, but most of them were kneeling around a still figure on the floor, covering his wounds with cloth stripped from their own uniforms. She quickly dismounted her steed and detached her water skin from the saddle. Then she ran towards the Captain.

"Men! Let Captain Fa some space to treat Captain Hsiao!" One of the soldiers said. Mulan looked at him with a smile and knelt down beside him.

"Don't worry Tso-Liang, you'll be all right." She whispered to the elder Captain. "Here, drink." She said putting the water skin to his lips. As she did so, she heard someone walk towards them. 'Shang.' She thought bitterly, but she didn't turn. Seconds later, he kneeled beside her.

"M...My...shoulder...It hurts." Said the wounded Captain. Mulan's attention, which had been focused on a deep cut in his stomach, suddenly turned to the mentioned area. She touched several places on his shoulder looking for any abnormalities.

"Shit." She said forgetting her manners. "It's dislocated. Shang, make sure you stop the bleeding of that wound while I take care of his shoulder." He was too shocked to argue, and did as he was told. Where had all that confidence on Mulan's part come from? It looked like she knew perfectly what she was doing! "Soldier! Grab that stick over there!" Mulan kept ordering. He did as told and handed it to Mulan who looked at Captain Hsiao. "Bite on this while I fix your shoulder, OK? Everything will be fine." Then to the rest of the men she said:

"Make sure he stays still" Then, with a doctor's expertise she put his shoulder back into place, while the Captain screamed in agony.

Shang, which due to the circumstances had got over his amazement, said:

"It seems the blow that caused this wound reached one of the main arteries."

Mulan nodded in agreement as she watched the blood that still poured out of the wound despite the great amount of cloth covering it. The blood was redder and denser that what it should have been. The medic had better arrive soon.

A few minutes later Mulan was briefing the medic on the situation:

"He had a dislocated shoulder that has been already taken care of, and a few minor cuts. Those are the good news. The bad news is that he has two broken ribs and a very deep cut that has reached one of the main arteries. We haven't been able to stop the haemorrhage. It needs to be disinfected and cauterized immediately."

"Good job, Captain." The medic said with a proud smile in his Kashgarian accent. "I'll take it from here."

...

"Dismissed." Mulan said to one of the soldier on watch duty at the camp's wall. "I'll take it from here." Hopefully the cold night air would help her calm her thoughts.

"Yes, Captain." He said with a bow and left.

General Su had insisted they arrive at camp before nightfall, so the medic had finished treating Tso-Liang while riding in the supplies cart. He was currently resting inside his tent, since the tent appointed to be the medical wing was already full.

Mulan was glad they had finally arrived at camp. They would have some time to rest before engaging the Turks in battle again. She wondered what her family was doing right now. It had been a long time since she had last written to them, but the Generals had forbidden sending any messages after having left the fortress in Kashgar. Mulan understood their reasons for doing so; they didn't want any message to be intercepted by spies; however that didn't make her any less sad.

"You did great back there." A voice said behind her. She turned around to find herself facing Shang. She lost herself in his large brown orbs before remembering she was still angry with him.

"Oh, I was just trying to play the hero." Mulan said bitterly.

"Mulan... I didn't mean to say that..."

"And yet you said it!" She said in an angry whisper. There were other soldiers on watch around, and she didn't want to risk being heard answering back to the General by any of them. "Next time you should think before speaking!"

"OK." Shang said seeing where the situation was going. "Maybe we should take this discussion to a more private place." Thankfully Mulan didn't argue and just followed Shang to the mess tent which would be empty by then since all the soldiers, except the officers and those on watch duty were meant to be inside their tents.

"Mulan. You have to understand me! How was I supposed to know you had received medical training if you didn't tell me?" He continued once they were seated in one of the many tables inside the mess tent.

"Well as you said not so long ago I am a Captain now! And I have to assume all my responsibilities as such! All the other Captains had at least received basic medical training so what did you expect me to do?"

"What you displayed out there had little to do with 'basic' though." Shang said with a proud smile, forgetting for a moment that they were at odds.

"Thanks." Mulan lowered her gaze in an attempt to hide her blush. "Look Shang... Everything that has happened between us lately... I think it's my turn to apologise... I overstepped my bounds when I said all those things to you." She said referring to their latest argument, the one they had had before the battle in the canyon.

Shang gave her a smile. A true smile. Like the ones she hadn't received for so long but she often daydreamed about.

"I'm sorry too. After all I wouldn't want our...relationship to be jeopardised by rank." He stood up and held out a hand to Mulan to help her stand up as well. Then with his free hand, he reached up to put a strand of her unbound hair behind her ear. His touch had left a tingling sensation on her cheek. "I'm glad we had this conversation." He added.

"So am I." She responded.

They were so close she could feel the heat radiating from him. She was again lost in his eyes, and could feel his warm breath on her face. Suddenly the hand he had used to push her hair back went to her waist, pulling her slightly closer to him. She started to experience unbeknownst sensations to her: desire, lust. She _craved _to be touched by him. He leaned down, his lips approaching hers...

"I should go. It's late and we have training tomorrow." Shang said hastily pulling back. Then without another word he left.

Mulan sat on the bench behind her and she felt a sensation she had never had for a man before: longing.

...

A/N: Sooooo! Here it is! The chapter you have all been waiting for! I hope you liked it! Finally some romantic tension! I hope you liked that bit, even though the ending might have not been what you were hoping for... well tell me what you think! Please review!

Now a Historical Note concerning the chinese burial customs mentioned at the begining of the chapter!

For the ancient Chinese, they believed when a person dies, they would be reincarnated into either humans again, or animals such as dogs and pigs, depending on how well they had behaved when they were alive. For instance, the good were believed to be reborn as human beings into rich and prominent families, while the evil were either reborn as humans who led lives full of hardships or as animals. Thus, the people made many preparations for there next lives by doing as much good to others as they could and also worshipped their ancestors to seek their advice through priests, diviners and objects such as oracle bones. The dead were buried together with their possessions such as jewellery and clothes, which were believed to follow them in their next life. For the dead emperors of ancient China, even the queens and concubines were sacrificed and buried along with the emperors to accompany them to the next life.

Now the shout-outs!

**-pig4eva: **(answering reviews for ch18 &19) thank you for both of your kind reviews! I think I PMed you, however such reviews deserve to have a place among my shout-outs! First of all you should know addiction is not always bad, especially if you are addicted to this story! What more could I hope for from a reader! Secondly I'm glad you like my writing style and that you think I have a gift for writing! I actually find it quite difficult that's wy nice reviews such as yours make me so happy! It's nice to see the fruits of your hard work, if you know what I mean!

**-theBurgundyRose:** thank you! I hope you thought the ink was with me in this chapter as well! And by the way! Even after we PMed each other about the 'loose' and 'lose' issue I still looked for it and still couldn't find it! I've kind of given up now! But by all means tell me if you have seen any mistakes on this chapter!

**-Aziriah:** wow! the whole thing in one night! I'm glad you found it so gripping! (although I wouldn't have minded if you had taken your time to review some of the other chapters hahahah!=)) I'm glad you like the fact about the historical notes! you are one of the few people who has told me that so far! Thanks for thinking that I write quite well, since (as I said above) I think it's quite difficult to do so! Hope you liked this chapter!

**-Crazy Hyper Lady:** hahahaha! I know! Well here you have him 'chickening-out' again!

**-Imyourfreakingprincess:** wow! I really feel honoured by your comment! Don't worry! I'm not giving this story up! I hate when authors do that too! About Shang and Mulan's relationship... you'll see in time!

**-Little Nanami:** thanks to you for reviewing so kindly! I'm glad you think the quality is high! As I always say: it's what I aim for! If I didn't put thoguht into writing I doubt reading the story would be so enjoyable! But thanks for aknowledging that fact! Don't worry about your battle scenes! I'm sure you'll do a great job! However if you need help of any kind (although I'm not an expert myself...) feel free to ask! I'm here for anything!

**-Kim: **since you are an anonymous reviewer I wasn't able to PM you, however I thank you all the same (if you ever get to read this!) I'm glad you're liking the story so far! About the romance you mentioned... I hope you find this satisfying! At least for now...

**-Faith Callaway:** thank you for your enthusiasm! I'm glad you like it so much!=)

**-hpswst101: **(it always takes me ages to write your pename! Don't know why!) Don't need to apologise for reviewing late! I mean, you reviewed! That's what matters!=) Thank you!

**-KuraOkami13:** sorry to disappoint... It was Mulan who apologised... I hope you still like it though!=) About that Turk... I don't know...I hadn't even thought about him! You are so observative! Maybe he died in the canyon or something... Or if you have thought of a different fate for him, by all means tell me!=)

**-Emancipated Rebels:** =) Glad you think so!

**-Ahava96: **wow! all in one nigt? I'm impressed (considering they are not what I would call short!) I'm happy you found the story that captivating! By the way my new characters just told me they are also enjoying 'meeting' you haahahaha! Here is more for you to read! Hope it's enough to satisfy your reading hunger!

**-I-love-Mulan13:** (nice PenName by the way!) I'm glad you like it! Here is the chapter you've been waiting for!

**Thanks to all those people who answered my questions about my battle scenes! You people are great!**

Now please **REVIEW!** I've been a little disappointed, since I have noticed than many people read the story and some even add it to their Alert & Favorite lists but very few actually take the time to review it! And feedback is everything to me!

**So here it's what I'm going to do: the moment I reach 100 reviews I'll post my next chapter, which by the way is filled with excitement and (if I may say so) is one of the best chapters I have written so far! You've read it people! I'll post next chapter when the story reaches 100 reviews! Not sooner and not later!**

Hope you all liked it!


	21. Chapter 21

Disclaimer: All characters in this story are the rightful property of Disney, except for Luo Jin, Captain Hsiao Tso-liang and Captain Ma Yuan, who belong to icedragon6171 and Captain Wo Chen and Huo Feng who belong to me!:)

I wanted to make a little correction to the last of the Historical Notes, something that was kindly corrected by **Chaotic Serenity**. Here I'm pasting what (s)he posted on his/her review:

"A minor correction to your author's note - while human sacrifice was a fairly common practice in the early periods of Chinese culture, it was more or less abolished with the rise of the Qin Dynasty. It shows up a couple more times historically here and there, but not on the widely practiced scale that it was before. The extravagance of early Chinese burials was rather fiercely criticized by a number of later philosophers, so renewal of the practice was limited to few emperors after Qin. Not to necessarily suggest that what you're saying is incorrect; merely that Shang and Mulan are more likely living in one of the latter dynasties, where the practice wouldn't be as common."

Before I start I have to thank all the people who have reviewed the last chapters, but without a doubt, the one I have to thank the most is the anonymous reviewer **"Person"**. This chapter is fully dedicated to you! So enjoy, because I think it's one of the best chapters, it is definitely one of my favourites so far! I also wanted to apologise to everyone, but especially to you, "Person", because, as you well pointed out in your review number 101, I had not posted yet, and it had been already about 12 hours since you had posted your review number 100. However, yesterday I didn't check my email before going to bed, and today I was only able to do so after arriving from class, so I hadn't seen all your reviews (which by the way, I repeat, I'm very happy about!). So I'm really sorry, but I have posted the chapter as soon as I've seen all of the reviews. Please, do not think me a liar for that... just a busy person. :D.

Anyways, I hope you all like this chapter, especially you, "Person"!

**Towards the Setting Sun**

**Chapter 21**

Cries, screams and shouts could be heard throughout the whole camp. The gong situated atop of one of the vigilance towers was restlessly giving the alarm. The ambushing Turks had not only broken the silence of the night, but also they had broken through the walls of the Chinese camp and were destroying everything they found in their paths.

Mulan searched hurriedly around her tent for her sword and any other weapon she could find before she could exit it to face the enemy.

"Captain! We need you! The troops are a disaster! No organization whatsoever! If we don't do something soon, they are going to take over in no time!" A soldier suddenly bursted into the tent without even bothering to ask for authorization, however the situation excused him from any rules of etiquette towards commanding officers.

Mulan gave a curt nod and grabbed her bow and quiver from a corner of the tent, belted her sword to her waist and exited hurriedly after the soldier. 'It will have to do', she thought looking at her training tunic. She hadn't had time to put on her armour, and suddenly she shivered when a Turk killed one of her men right in front of her eyes. She hoped the lack of body protection didn't become a too great inconvenient during the fight.

"Come on men!" She said after having killed her first opponent. "Try to get the higher ground! Go up to the watch towers and shoot your arrows from there!"

Some distance away she was able to spot General Su ordering his men to stay together no matter what. It didn't matter. Whatever they tried to do, the Turks seemed to be always a step ahead.

It had not yet been two weeks since they had arrived to the camp after attaining victory in the last battle, the "Battle of the Canyon, as it was now called among the men, nonetheless many men had been injured, and two weeks was barely enough time to heal. Even if the Turks were not much better off, they had taken their chance after many lost battles. They knew that not one soldier of the Chinese Army would have ever expected an ambush, and for them the option that abled them to weaken the Chinese defences without losing too many of their own men, was indeed the ambush, especially considering that they could count on the fact that they knew and were familiar with the territory, whilst the Chinese were not.

Mulan fought without stopping for a long time. She had soon lost track of time, and the sky refused to give her any signal of the time, for the moon was covered by thick clouds, as if foreshadowing bad omens. She had already earned herself several wounds due to her weak defense. She could almost hear Shang's voice shouting to her not to raise her arm too high and to firmly hold her sword in front of her torso, to protect her weakest points. She thanked her ancestors for letting those wounds be nothing but superficial, but she made a note to practice more often to correct all those mistakes Shang spent so much time pointing out. She tried to assist her men in every way possible, but she was having difficulties herself to stay on her feet. Two times had she already been thrown to the floor by her opponent due to her lack of balance, and it was only thanks to the presence of some of her men that she had been able to stay alive.

Mulan observed that, no matter how many men she killed, another one was right behind to replace him, whilst the numbers of the Chinese Army were quickly being decimated. She was tired. She had barely slept anything those last days after the battle, as she had been assisting the ill and helping the Generals with the reports, and it was all taking a toll on her now. The sword felt heavy under her hand, heavier than usual, and the warning cries from her men beside her seemed like eerie voices from some other strange world.

"Captain Fa! Move away!" shouted a soldier warning her against an attack.

Too late. The Turk's sword sank into the skin of her leg. It wasn't too deep, but deeper than what it should have been if she hadn't lowered her guard so much. What was she thinking? This was a matter of life and death! She shouldn't be so carefree! Mulan couldn't believe the Shang-like turn her thoughts had taken, but even she had to admit he was right in that aspect, especially considering her current situation.

She watched as her own blood stained her clothing and was able to notice the distinct smell of blood. She had to walk away, gain some time to think about what the troops could do to overcome the situation. She suddenly realised that the infirmary wing was probably in need of all the protection it could get. She decided to head that way, using the darkness of the night and her fellow soldiers tents to avoid being seen, while she thought about what would be the best course of action.

...

Shang was successfully parrying all the attacks directed at him. It wasn't too hard since the majority of the Turkish ambushers were fighting near the main doors and the mess hall. He, on the other side was currently fighting a few opponents with the aid of some of his men by the infirmary. Shang was perfectly aware of the fact that the wounded men were too weak to defend themselves, so someone else had to do it for them.

As he successfully dispatched yet another enemy, he saw how some of the men, who were atop of the vigilance towers shot arrows at the space below. However it was not the arrows which Shang was most worried about. It was the fire the soldiers had used to ignite those arrows that bothered him. They could burn out the whole camp! Nevertheless, the strategy was proving to be effective.

It was true that the Turks had had the element of surprise, but after having lost the Battle of the Canyon, they had suffered many more losses than the Chinese, so the number of ambushing Ottomans was not too great, and that was the main advantage of the Chinese Army, one that they had only just begun to use. Shang saw that many of his men were situated in the vantage points: atop the vigilance areas (probably General Su's idea). The fiery arrows were scattering the Turkish troops, which made it all the easier to kill them, and some of them had even fled.

'Or maybe they have just advanced towards the inner part of the camp.' Shang thought referring to his current position upon seeing that they were quickly being surrounded. One of his men felt limply to the floor, after one of the Turks cut his throat with his wicked curved dagger. He had only five men left. All of them against the horde of Turks that had just arrived.

He was standing back to back with his men, calculating and analyzing every single possibility of attack.

"All together at the count of three." He whispered to his men with clenched teeth.

...One...

...Two...

...Three...

"NOW!" At Shang's command they all jumped into action. The General fought like a graceful feline, using both his sword and fists. He parried every stroke, blocked every attack, and was able to do so without even getting a scratch. Nevertheless he was distracted by the cry of agony of one of his men, who had been induced a fatal wound. The author of said wound took the opportunity of Shang's distraction to render him harmless: he approached from behind and hit him in the head with the hilt of his sword. Shang's vision suddenly became all blurry, and then, just as he felt his own blood falling from the wound and down his cheek, he blacked out.

...

Mulan had been able to stop the bleeding on her leg by tying a piece of cloth she had found inside a tent around her leg. After having taken care of her wound, she went to where the infirmary was located. What she saw when she reached her destination took her breath away: two Turks were dragging an unconscious Shang away while some others, about six more, fought against Shang's men, not allowing them to approach their General. She knew she had to do something, but due to her wound she couldn't possibly join the fight, for she would be more of an inconvenience for her men than an asset. She would have to use her wit.

She slowly took an arrow from her quiver and placed it on her bow and then, instead of shooting from her hidden vantage spot, she did the unexpected...

"Drop your weapons!" She shouted to the Turks, as she stepped out, all the while pointing her arrow at the ones who carried the General. The Chinese soldiers quickly positioned themselves beside her, both to protect her (since she was wounded), and to threaten the enemy.

"You speak my language, right?" Mulan continued with a scowl. The Turk was too surprised to answer with words, so he just nodded. "Good, then you heard me, drop your weapons and lay him down, you piece of filth!" She continued in an angry tone.

The Turk she was talking to suddenly started laughing and said with a much accented voice:

"A mere _girl_ is going to tell me what to do? I don't think so..."

He took a dagger out and placed on Shang's throat as if trying to prove his point. Mulan's heart rattled impatiently in protest; however she managed to keep a calm expression. The men beside her prepared to attack. She told them to stay down without moving her gaze away from Shang's body. 'They want to play hard?' Mulan thought. 'We'll play hard...'

"I think she is. Especially considering that the arrow belonging to this "mere girl" is currently pointing at that part of your anatomy that makes you such a _man_. So if you want to keep your virility, I advise you to do as I say." Mulan replied mirroring the disdain she had previously detected in his voice.

The man swallowed hard, but he didn't waver.

"Do you want me to prove it? I advise you, my aim is _perfect._ Having said that she threw her arrow at the soldier standing beside him. It went straight through his throat, but before the arrow even managed to reach its destination, Mulan had already placed a new one in her bow. "Believe me now?"

"That was a big mistake. We outnumber you, not to mention you are wounded and you want what I currently have. I don't think you are in any position to make demands, much less to kill my men." The Turk said in an eerily calm voice.

Mulan knew he was right. She had to think of something! For the obvious reasons that the Turk himself had stated, they could not possibly attack, so the only possibility left was...

...to improvise.

It was their last hope, especially Shang's, so she prayed for it to work.

"Do you really think I'm in no position to make demands? I wouldn't be so sure... I've got men positioned all around us. You are currently surrounded, my friend. As soon as I give the order, they'll shoot the arrows and you will be no more than history. However I'm feeling compassionate tonight. I'll give you the chance to leave alive if you lay him down."

"Why should we trust you? How do we know that this is not some scheme to get rid of us?" The Turk asked, but doubt was written all over his face.

"Well... you can always risk your lives... each one is free to choose how to die, isn't that so?" Mulan replied with a confidence she was not feeling at all.

That last sentence managed to convince them. They accepted the deal and Mulan signalled the man to her right to retrieve the unconscious General. Once he was retrieved Mulan said: "Now you are free to leave. Go before I change my mind.

"Captain."Said one of the men once the Turks had left. "What you said about the men posted all around us, ready to shoot at your signal wasn't true, was it?

"Indeed, it wasn't"

"Then why did you risk so much? What if they hadn't believed it?"

Mulan was too tired to reprimand the soldier for having questioned her authority so she just answered: "But they did. That's what strategy is all about: knowing when to take a determined course of action and when not to do so" She looked pointedly at him. "At the moment, the best thing to do was to improvise, so I did. Sun Tzu says in his "Art Of War": 'the best leader is not he who wins the most battles, or kills the most enemies, but he who manages to win it without even engaging in it.' You'll do well to remember that, soldier. Now let's get the General to safety before we assist the rest of the troop."

...

The results of the ambush had been catastrophic for the Chinese Army. Now they had even more wounded men, whole sections of the camp to repair and not to mention an unconscious General who, after several hours hadn't even given the slightest signal of waking up.

The conclusion: the situation was a disaster.

After having more or less organised the camp, taken the wounded to the medical tent (Shang was placed in his own tent, which offered more privacy), and having done all the things which required an officer's supervision, General Su called an emergency officers meeting in the mess hall.

"We cannot continue like this. If we want to return home any time soon, we have to find some sort of solution." Said General Su once all the men were reunited. This ambush has had disastrous consequences for our troops. No matter how many battles we win, more importantly, how many battles we make them lose, they always find a way to counterattack."

Mulan slowly stood up signalling that way that she wanted to say something.

"Captain Fa, please, anything you'd like to add?" General Su said motioning for her to stand beside him facing the rest of the men.

Upon standing before them, Mulan couldn't help but feel slightly overwhelmed. These men were waiting for her to talk. They had an interest in what she might say. She was considered an _equal_. Despite the current situation she felt truly amazed by that.

"Fellow officers." She started in an authoritative tone she didn't really know she possessed. She supposed it was due to Shang's influence. "As General Su just said, no matter how many battles we win, they keep charging back. We were able to see tonight that they know our weak points, and that even if we dominate them on the battlefield, they do so in the matters of strategy. So I think it's time it changed, don't you? And for that I think I might have a plan..."

...

It was already dawn when General Su called Mulan to his tent. Even though she was very tired she knew she had to obey, and also everything had to be ready in order to carry out her plan in time.

"General." She called from outside to signal her presence.

"Come in, Captain, and sit down." Mulan did as she had been asked to. "Your plan..." The General continued. "Even if I think it might be a bit risky, I support it. I think it might be the only solution right now."

"Actually, General, what I explained back there was only part of the plan." Mulan said looking straight into his eyes as if to show him just how crucial the matter was. "The rest is what I'm going to explain now, however in order for it to be successful; you cannot tell any of the men, especially not General Li..."

...

A/N:  soooooo... here it is finally! I'm sorry I didn't post it earlier today. I saw the reviews (like I said before) as soon as I got from class; however I decided to post it after having finished studying for my exams tomorrow (by the way! Wish me luck!). So I'm truly sorry for any inconvenience I have caused. I hope you are not too disappointed (especially you, "Person").

I truly hope you enjoyed reading this chapter as much as I enjoyed writing it! It's one of my favourites so far **because it's the absolute tie breaker of the story** now! The plot now is going to take us to a totally different direction! I also like this chapter because we can see how Mulan is feeling really confident right now (how she argues with the Turk and takes part in the council of officers). As you already know I also like to write about strategy, and this chapter has quite a lot of it!

I'm not going to do shout-outs in this chapter because the A/N at the beginning was already too long and I don't want to bore you too much! Nevertheless I'm going to leave a little Note:

The sentence about Sun Tzu's "Art Of War" is true. I just adapted it a bit to fit the context more exactly, that's why it isn't written in italics, because it's not a direct quote.

Anyways! I sincerely hope you liked it! Thanks to all those who reviewed (and those who just read). Please tell me what you thought about this chapter!

"Person", again thank you very much for all the comments! I really appreciate and I'm really sorry! I hope you don't feel too let down! I'f you do just tell me what I can do to make it up to you! I LOOOOOVE YOU! :D

I also wanted to say that I don't know when I'm going to be able to post the next chapter, because I'm really busy with exams and University applications right now!

Love you all,

Crazyalmu007!


	22. Chapter 22

Disclaimer: All characters in this story are the rightful property of Disney, except for Luo Jin, Captain Hsiao Tso-liang and Captain Ma Yuan, who belong to icedragon6171 and Captain Wo Chen and Huo Feng who belong to me!:)

**Towards the Setting Sun**

**Chapter 22**

When Shang awoke, he was inside his own tent. He was lying on a cot, and was wearing a bandage on his head. He looked beside him, still sleepy and disoriented, and saw there was a water basin beside his cot, on the floor. He turned his head slightly more and saw a flickering candlelight coming from his own desk across the room. On top of that desk there was a pair of hands, one of them scribbling furiously on a piece of parchment while the other one tapped its fingers on the wood. He raised his gaze to find himself looking at Mulan, who wore a concentrated look, her eyes fixated on whatever she was writing. Shang wondered what she was doing inside his tent. Was the ambush over? How many men had been killed? There were so many questions in his mind. He opened his mouth to call Mulan's name, however the words would not come out. He tried once more, but the result was the same. He tried to sit up, but before even his head had left the pillow, everything went black and he collapsed again.

Meanwhile Mulan, oblivious to Shang's brief awakening kept writing. It was very late and the light coming from the candle at the desk was the only one that could be seen in the whole camp, excluding the torches held by the soldiers on watch. The last three days had been hectic. Since General Su had given her authorisation to execute her plan, Mulan tripled her workload: she trained harder than ever with her men to ensure they were ready when the time came, also, because of Shang's unconsciousness since the ambush, as his second in command, Mulan had had to take over all his duties as well. She had never known he did so much work, and now she did, she couldn't imagine how he managed to stay so calm and even pleasant most of the time. Only the paperwork gave Mulan incredible headaches and those who worked closest to her had noticed a slight change in her mood, and not precisely for the better. On top of that all, she had her own duties as a Captain to fulfil. She dearly hoped Shang got well soon; not just for his health, but for her sanity as well.

Upon hearing noise coming from the cot, Mulan lifted her head from her writing and saw Shang was attempting to sit up. She stood and hurried to his side, kneeling beside his cot. She put a firm hand on his chest and pushed him down.

"Shang, you have to save your strength, you aren't yet fit to stand. Rest." She said as she took a cloth from the water basin and proceeded to wipe his forehead with it.

"Mulan!" He exclaimed in a weak voice. "Is the ambush over? Are we safe?"

"Yes, Shang, everything is all right. Go to sleep." She caressed his cheek and watched in fascination as he closed his eyes and unconsciously leaned into her touch with a faint smile curving his lips.

...

Five days later Shang found himself walking around camp. The medic had finally allowed him to leave his tent that same morning, and he feared the worst. He had been forced to stay in bed for eight days, much to his chagrin, but the medic, not General Su would listen to his protests. Now he was afraid to face his men again. Whoever had been in charge during his absence had better kept them in good shape.

His musings were abruptly stopped by the sight of Mulan coming out of General Su's tent. She was clad in her full armour and held her helmet in her right hand and a scroll in her left. She strode purposefully towards the gates, it seemed, her cape moving gracefully behind her. She was a long way from the awkward small boy he had met in Wu Zhong who responded to the name of Ping. Shang couldn't help but think she was beautiful. It strangely reminded him of the evening where a banquet was held in the Imperial Palace in her honour all that time ago.

"General Li!" Came a voice from his right, forcing him to look away in a haste to avoid looking like a smitten fool before his men. "It's nice to see you up and about sir!" The voice belonging to Captain Hsiao said. "I have some forms for you to fill. Captain Fa entrusted me with the duty of keeping them safe until you woke up, so that you could take care of them yourself."

"Thank you, Captain. By the way, who has been taking care of all the paperwork during my recuperation?"

"Captain Fa, of course. As your second in command she took over all of your duties, including the paperwork."

"And the training, strategizing, planning etc.?" Shang asked with a raised eyebrow.

"Everything, sir. And she took it quite seriously too. I don't think she has got much sleep this past week." Hsiao Tso-Liang responded. Shang smiled faintly at this, proud of Mulan's excellence. "At least until General Su gave her yesterday's day off to rest and prepare to leave with her team today."

"Leave?" Shang inquired with a frown.

"Yes, sir, she's taking a team to spy on the enemy. They'll be camping nearby, on a hidden location. They'll be studying the Turks' daily behaviour to devise an effective plan of attack and end this war as soon as possible."

Shang had not heard most of what the other man had told him; instead he was trying to get his rapidly rising anger under control.

"Thank you, Captain. I'll take those," he gestured to the papers. "You are dismissed."

...

Mulan checked once again that everything was ready to depart. She mounted Khan and proceeded to give her men the last instructions. She was taking a party of twenty men, including the trackers who had been part of the advance party which had followed the Turks back to their fortress.

She was aware of the risks of her plan, but was glad to be leaving nonetheless. The past days had been both tiring and confusing. She had had too much work (and she _hated_ paperwork!), but the worst of it all had been Shang. Since they had sorted their problems after arriving to camp from the Battle of the Canyon, Mulan had been aware of a change in their relationship. They were still friends, but something had changed, she was sure. At least on her part. She remembered that night: had he been about to kiss her? Now that she had had more time to think about it, she realised that she wouldn't have minded at all. Damn tradition and honour. But every time she followed that line of thought she saw how foolish he was. She was thinking about Shang! A man who held honour above all else! It was probably all her imagination. If he liked her _that _way, he would have probably given her some overt signal of it, expressed a desire to court her (but then of course, he would have waited to have her father's permission). So it was just friendship between the two of them, nothing more. At least that's something. She certainly wouldn't want to lose it; after all, not so many people have the honour of being called "friend" by him.

But then she remembered the night he had recovered his consciousness. How he had leaned into her hand's touch. After that night, she had taken her work back to her tent with her, but made sure to visit him every day for a little bit of time, to give him conversation. However their conversations were never brief. They would sit for hours and talk about anything and everything.

The night they had apologised to each other in the mess tent, and after what to Mulan had been an almost-kiss ('don't be foolish!', she kept telling herself), she had realised that she was attracted to him, and had been for quite a long time too. But after those last few days, she had realised something else.

She was in love with him.

It was foolish, of course, and she knew it very well. But how could she not love him after all he had done for her? Even in Wu Zhong he had never completely given up on her (he had thrown her out of camp, but then let her stay after she had proved herself). Even after discovering she was a woman, he had continued to give her chances, present her with new opportunities, new challenges, never thinking she wouldn't be able to do this or that just because of her sex. Even her own family hadn't taken as much of an interest in her.

Every time she saw him she felt irrationally happy; every time she heard his voice, her stomach somersaulted and she went weak at the knees, and when he touched her, she always felt a tingling sensation on her skin, where he had touched her.

So, to get away from all of that, and to clear her mind, she was happy to get out of camp for what was going to be quite a long time. She had even woken up earlier than usual to be able to give her last report to General Su and get out before Shang realised she was missing. The medic had told her he would be released that day, so considering the sun was already out, and the fact that Shang was an early riser, she had told her men to wait for her at the gates while she cleared last minute issues with the General, so that they could leave as soon as that was done.

"Are you ready, soldiers?" She asked them. After they exclaimed their assent, she continued, "Then let's go! I'd like to be there as soon as possible!"

And with those last words she spurred her horse, who obeyed immediately, the rest of the men, following behind her.

...

"Would you care to explain the meaning of this?" Shang said in an almost scream bursting into General Su's tent.

"Good morning to you too, General Li. I can see you are back to your old self." The older man answered, his voice dripping with sarcasm.

"Why have I just been notified of the fact that twenty one of my men left for a spying expedition_ without_ my authorisation?"

"I distinctly seem to recall you were indisposed these past few days." General Su answered before looking back to the map that was on the table. Then he made some notes on a piece of parchment that was just beside it. "I also believe -correct me if I'm mistaken- that I too, hold the rank of General, therefore am allowed to issue the orders I wish, when and however I wish."

"Stop talking to me as if I were a child!"

"Then stop acting like one!" General Su raised his voice to match Shang's.

"Oh, no, don't give me that! You know perfectly well I'm within my right to complain!" Realising that sound can very well travel through the fabric of the tents, Shang lowered his tone. "When you first arrived I agreed to hand over the commandment of part of _my_ troops so that we had an equal number of men! I gave you a total of three Captains as well as all their subordinates when you asked even if I was under no obligation to do so. My only condition was that, even if when going into battle we should act as a unit, the command of my men is mine alone, and you should have my consent before ordering them to do anything. Despite your agreement to my condition, you broke the pact when you ordered the men to leave the fortress in Kashgar, and now this!"

"You forget you have been indisposed."

"Indisposed I may have been, however I was very much awake!"

"General, it was her idea, all of it. I merely approved it, so technically, I broke no pact." Su Dingfeng answered with a raised eyebrow.

"You still should have told me." Shang insisted; his voice more subdued but his stare still as angry.

"Why does it bother you so much, General? It's not the first time a scouting mission, such as this one is conducted, is it? Which leads me to believe that your anger is a direct result of her being the one leading it. You shouldn't let your emotions be the rulers of your actions,_ Li Shang._" He used his full name deliberately, striping him of the title, knowing that the younger man would realise he hadn't called him that since he was a child, before he entered the Military Academy.

Shang did indeed recognise the way he was being addressed and answered in kind:

"Neither should you, _grandfather."_

He turned around and exited the tent before he had the chance of seeing the mixture of anger and grudging respect reflected in the father of his mother's eyes.

Su Dingfeng knew the boy (for he was still very young in his eyes, no matter how high-ranking or experienced a soldier he was) was right in a way. Since arriving at Kashgar with his troops and discovering Li Shang was the General in charge of the army there, he had let his anger and resentment for him to make many choices that should have been made by a calm and rational mind. Although sending Mulan on this particular mission hadn't been one of them, he was now able to see that he had targeted her from the start because of the way he was almost certain Shang felt about her, without letting her prove herself as he would have done with any other soldier. He also commanded the soldiers to move out of the Kashgarian fortress without letting the other General know, because he was aware of how it would make him feel. Yet General Li had done what not many would have dared to do: confronted him about it, and thrown the truth to his face.

And he, although grudgingly, respected him for it.

* * *

**A/N:** hello! I'm back! I know it has taken me ages to upload another chapter and you must all hate me for it! But better later than never, right? Anyways, I apologise, but this year has been horribly hectic. I truly am sorry. But the good news is that the whole story is finished! I only have the editing left to do, so chapters will be uploaded much more regularly. I can't tell you a fixed date, because I'll probably won't ever manage it... :S

Thank you to all those people who kept adding the story to their alerts and favourites despite the lack of recent updates, and especially thanks to all the amazing reviewers! It's you who have given me the inspiration I needed to finish the story!

And to all those hoping to discover what Mulan's plan was, I'm sorry... It was meant to come up in this chapter, but it ended up being too long, so I divided it into two. I know it will be a disappointment. The good news are that, since the second part of this chapter has already been edited, I will upload it very soon, hopefully before the 9th! :)

I hope you liked this chapter! Tell me what you thought of it, and keep tuned for more excitement soon! :)

I have to say that I have recently seen recs of this fic around the web, and I have to say that it makes me very proud! So if you want to do it yourself, or draw some fanart of it, or inspired in it, don't hesitate to do it! Just tell me so that I can have a look at it and post the link here for all to see!

Here are the links to the recs I found:

thisoldhighway: http: / het-reccers . livejournal . com / 200250 . html

Levy120 (featured in deviantart's #FaMulan-FanClub): http: / famulan-fanclub . deviantart . com / journal / Mulan - Fanfiction - List - UPDATE - 21 - 09 - 10 - 225248706

Oh! And by the way! Happy New Year! And to those of you who are waiting for the Three Kings, may they bring you lots of presents and happiness!


	23. Chapter 23

**A/N:** I look forward to your reaction to this chapter! By the way! Cookie goes to those who spot the Harry Potter reference!

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Disclaimer: All characters in this story are the rightful property of Disney, except for Luo Jin, Captain Hsiao Tso-liang and Captain Ma Yuan, who belong to icedragon6171 and Captain Wo Chen, Huo Feng, Hsien Loong and Tsai Lin who belong to me!:)

**Towards the Setting Sun**

**Chapter 23**

It had been a month and a few days since Mulan had left the relative safety of the Chinese camp to spy on the Turks and set her plan in motion. So far everything had gone well: they had been able to discover the guards' shift schedule –both in the walls and gates-, the weakest points of the enemy fortress where it would be easier to attack, as well as many other pieces of interesting information that Mulan diligently took care of writing down to be able to pass it on to the Generals back at the camp.

Mulan was aware that her time was running out, she had to act soon, and could not postpone it any more.

_You are not postponing anything; you just wanted to make sure to gather as much information as possible._ The little voice whispered in her head, not for the first time.

But Mulan knew she was deluding herself, and the men were getting restless. The twenty of them, when told they would be leaving on a tracking mission had packed supplies for around two weeks at most, but it had been a long time since they had to resort to hunting. Luckily Mulan and a few of the men were rather gifted with the bow and arrows and food wasn't difficult to come by in the forest in which they had set camp. But it wasn't common for tasks of this kind to last as many weeks as this one seemed to be taking; Mulan knew it, and so did the men. They wanted to go back and enjoy a warm meal; even the tasteless rice served in the mess hall would be a better alternative than the raw meat they found themselves eating so often, especially at night, since Mulan had forbidden the lighting on fires after dusk for fear of being spotted. Luckily, or at least not so unluckily, since Mulan's medical training, she was able to spot edible herbs which lent some flavour to what they ate. It seemed that the long hours of studying Su Song's _Bencao Tujing_had finally paid off. She couldn't help feeling a bit of pride with the looks of admiration the men had given her when she had explained the uses of the different plants upon their asking.

Now, except for the four who were keeping watch, they were all in their respective tents, very small ones, like the ones the recruits slept in at Wu Zhong. Due to her rank, Mulan's was slightly bigger, just enough to fit a tiny low table where she did her paperwork (mainly report writing for the Generals) while sitting cross-legged on her cot. That was precisely what she was doing right now, or perhaps more accurately, had been doing before she allowed her thoughts to wander to their current situation. Had General Su kept his promise of not telling anyone, especially Shang, of the full version of her plan? Probably, after all, it was in his best interests as well. And what about Shang? Was her worried? Possibly. After admitting her love for him to herself, she found herself thinking about him very often, even more than before. Would he miss her as much as she missed him?

Although she was here with twenty of her men, she couldn't help feeling a bit lonely. She ate alone, talked very little to them, only to issue orders, since the distance between officers and recruits had to be kept. She missed the stories that the officers often told during lunch in the mess hall, the medicine lessons with Captain Wo Chen, and especially the long conversations she would often have with Shang.

The light of the setting sun cast an orange light inside the tent. There was probably a beautiful sunset outside. She tried to recall when was the last time she had appreciated the beauty of one; probably when she was still at home. This particular thought made her feel even lonelier than all the others had managed to do. She wanted to go home; now more than ever.

Tomorrow. She would act tomorrow. She was as ready as she would ever be, and the sooner she put her plan into action the sooner it would all end, or at least she hoped. With those last thoughts, she finished writing the daily report and went to sleep.

...

Shang woke up before the sun had begun to rise. _Again._ He had not been sleeping too well as of late, and a certain woman was to blame. It had been over a month since she had left, and they had yet to hear any news of their mission. Also there had been no attacks whatsoever by the Turks, which worried Shang. It could only mean two things: either they were going to attack any day, or they had found the scouting party, had killed them and were therefore rather subdued. Shang prayed it was the former.

He decided to get dressed and go to the training field to shoot a few arrows, something that he would often find Mulan doing when she was the one who couldn't sleep. Besides, there was no one up and about, so there was no way he could relieve his tension while fighting with one of the soldiers, as he preferred to do.

Like the well trained archer he was, as soon as an arrow had left the bow, another was already in its place, ready to follow. But this was done automatically, without any deliberate thinking, which left his mind free to wander. He thought about the last time he had seen Mulan, just before she left. He remembered her looking regal and commanding in her officer's robes, and compared that image to the first time she had worn them. He smiled crookedly when he recalled how she fumbled with her cape and tried to hide the fact she was doing it all at the same time. And the fetching blush that had graced her cheeks when she had looked up and noticed his amusement at her expense. She had then glared at him in that way of hers that let him know she was not truly angry, and told him to get on with what he had been saying.

She was undoubtedly like no other woman he knew. One of a kind.

And the only one he wanted for his own.

He gave a shake of the head to rid himself of those thoughts. The only way he should be thinking about her, is as a General thinks of one of his Captains. Some would even frown at seeing them as such good friends! Like General Su did. Now there was a man Shang wanted in his thoughts even less than Mulan, and for reasons of a not so pleasant kind. Ever since he had arrived to the Kashgarian fortress with is men, Shang had tried to avoid him as much as possible, especially one-on-one meetings. That wasn't always possible, since they were both the highest ranking officers in the army, so they had to meet on several occasions to discuss things, and sometimes had to do so alone.

However, ever since the argument they'd had the day Mulan left on her mission, he had successfully managed to avoid meeting with the older man alone. He was infinitely glad. He had never disrespected an elder the way he had done him that day. Despite their shared rank and Shang's higher status in society, General Su was his elder, and thus, he owed him respect, especially since they were members of the same family, and carried the same blood, even if Su Dingfeng denied it.

Today, however, his luck seemed to have run out. The previous evening, during supper hour, the other General had approached him and asked to meet him first thing the following morning, in his tent. That meant this very morning, and Shang couldn't admit feeling a bit nervous. He didn't like the fact that they were meeting in the other man's tent instead of his very own. General Su obviously wanted him to feel out of place during the meeting.

Shang took his time to walk back to his tent and wash himself with the wet cloth that had been left beside the water basin on a small table close to his cot. He then changed into a new tunic, and proceeded to go to General Su's tent. He would have rather worn his armour, since its comforting weight made him feel safer and protected, however he wasn't a lowly soldier, called to his commanding officer's tent to be scolded for neglecting his duties. He was his equal in all things military, and since he had not said they would be discussing anything outside that field, Shang would make sure to state it, albeit silently in this occasion (although he wouldn't hesitate to do so verbally, should it become necessary). After all, even if he was sorry, and also very ashamed of how he had said things to the older General (what would his father have said!), and he intended to apologise for it, he didn't feel the least bit apologetic about _what_ he had said. On the contrary, it was about time he defended his rightfully earned position, and now he had, he was not about to back down.

With those last thoughts, he arrived to his destination and announced his name to the guards at the entrance of the tent.

"General Su." He said after he had entered. "You said yesterday you had things of importance to discuss with me"

"Indeed, General Li," was the answer he received. For once, his title was said with no mockery. It must be important then. "Do sit down."

...

As every morning, the men were assembled outside her tent, ready for the daily briefing. They stood straight, all facing her; the very picture of the Chinese Army's well known discipline. Or they would be the very picture of that if they didn't look so bedraggled. She supposed she didn't look too much better herself.

She delivered what she thought to be an inspiring speech about bravery and patience and how well they had all performed despite adversity, and how they had brought honour to their country and families. Finally she announced that they would all be leaving the next day, but before they did, she would need to perform one last task with two other men, while the others kept spying on the Turks' every move from afar.

The men proceeded to start their tasks in much higher spirits than they had done the previous days, which to Mulan was perfectly understandable.

She called forward the two men she trusted the most. They had been under her command from the start and had often had guard duty outside her tent. Of the men under her charge they were probably among the best, and most trustworthy. She had talked with them on several occasions, and had determined that she liked them better than the rest, not only as soldiers, but as persons in their own right. She wouldn't call them friends (she had made a point of not befriending her subordinates after the Luo Jin fiasco), but they were definitely companions, people worth having around.

The taller one has rather large eyes (almost girl-like) and mouth which lent him an approachable appearance. He was good with the arrow, but what really made him stand out was his ability to tie all sorts of knots. Since he was the son of a fisherman, he had learnt that skill at a young age, and it had become very useful throughout the campaign, but especially this particular mission, since his knowledge had been applied to the making of several snares to catch food during the last few weeks. His name was Hsien Loong.

The other one, whose name was Tsai Lin. He reminded Mulan slightly of Yao, which was probably what had made her think she could trust him at the beginning. He was far more serious than her friend, and rarely talked or caused trouble. He didn't seem to have many friends among the soldiers apart from Soldier Hsien. Like Yao, Tsai Lin was surprisingly strong for a man of his small size, and had the bulky muscles to prove it. He seemed to prefer the company of horses to men, as he spent most of his time with the former, especially with his own horse, a beautiful white mare to whom he was constantly whispering who knew what.

Mulan took a good look at both of the men before she began talking.

"What we are going to do today is very, and I mean,_ very _dangerous. You will both follow every single one of my orders despite how illogical or crazy they seem at the time. If you do not do so, I assure you that there will be consequences, and not the pleasant kind." She said in a stern voice. "Alright, now listen; here is what we are going to do..."

...

Before leaving, Mulan left one of the men in charge and disappeared into the woods with Lin and Loong in tow. They had left their horses with the others, much to Lin's dismay, but Mulan had been adamant. They were going to get as close as possible to the enemy fortress, so they needed to be as invisible as possible. Mulan carried only her sword, as well as a small hunting knife, but it was just for precaution, she wasn't expecting to use either of them. The other men were sparsely armed as well, although Loong carried his bow and arrows with him. "Just in case," he had said.

They walked to the opposite side of the fortress, the one where the main gate was. They had been stationed nearby upon their arrival, but had moved on to observe other parts of the fortress once they had gathered all the information they would need from this one. The rest of the men wouldn't be able to see them from where they were.

Mulan could conjure the image of this side of the fortress in her mind: there was a big gate (the main one), it appeared to be very thick, but it was wood nonetheless so it would burn. So would the roofs of the vigilance turrets placed at each side of the gate. The walls, however were made of the local stone, it had a reddish quality and, although it wasn't the most resistant of stones, it was resistant enough to be impenetrable.

Luckily Mulan would have enough time to think about ways to effectively break in, in the future. Now they needed to get closer.

...

"Aaaggh!" Lin screamed in his deep voice as he fell to the ground with a resounding _thud_. Mulan looked behind her, and saw that he had been hit by an arrow in the thigh.

"Cover us!" She said to the other man when she saw that several Turks were exiting the fortress and running towards them. Hsien Loong did as told and started shooting arrows, successfully bringing down some of the charging men.

"I'm going to pull out the arrow, and when I do, I want you to run back to the forest and stay there, do you hear me?" She said. It was a barbed arrow. Although thankfully not poisoned, it was making the wound bleed profusely. Mulan suspected it had hit a main artery. He was going to need treatment soon, or he would lose the use of the leg. "Try to place a tourniquet to stop the bleeding when you get there. Don't worry, you'll be fine." With no further warning she pulled out the arrow. He gave another scream.

"Hurry, Captain! They are upon us!" Said Loong. Mulan helped Ling to stand up and gave him a little push towards the forest. Then she unsheathed her sword and went to help Loong, who had substituted the bow for his sword now that the Turks were so close.

Mulan started hitting, blocking and parrying, but she soon realised it was no use, they were too many, and more were coming. One of them, the one Mulan presumed was in charge, shouted something in that harsh language of theirs, when Mulan made up her mind.

"Soldier Hsien!" She threw her sword at him, which he deftly caught and used to parry a blow. Meanwhile, Mulan took out her knife and crouched awaiting the next attack. "Get out of here now! Find Tsai and leave with all the others. Go to the camp, and do not deviate from the plan!" Before the sentence was finished, Loong was already running the path Lin had minutes before.

Immediately after, something heavy hit the back of her head, and she crumbled to the floor.

She heard the Leader-Turk speak.

Then everything went black.

...

General Su had made no reference to their argument in any way. Shang admitted he was puzzled. They had only talked military strategy, especially what would happen once they had the information Mulan had set out to gather.

Was General Su waiting for him to say something? Perhaps, but it would be foolish to initiate that conversation. And Shang was many things, but a fool was not one of them. So he stayed quiet. Besides, things had been going relatively well (or as well as they could go during a meeting with the man that so hated him), so Shang would let the sleeping dragon lay. They would eventually find a more appropriate time to talk about it, and then Shang would take the opportunity to apologise. However now was not the time; they were working.

Shang realised he had not heard the other man's last sentence, so he stopped woolgathering and returned his focus to the map sitting between them.

They kept speculating about the possible outcomes of different strategies for several minutes, before they were interrupted by a soldier announcing the return of "Captain Fa's scouts," as he said. One of them was apparently waiting outside the tent.

"Well, hurry, let him in." Shang said despite this not being his tent, hoping the anxiousness he felt had not been heard in his voice. 'So much for control,' he thought.

The guard looked at General Su for confirmation, and the latter gave an almost invisible nod.

The man who entered was dirty and scruffy looking, and looked very tired. After he bowed he looked at the Generals with troubled eyes.

"I bring news." He said in a tired voice, nevertheless very loud and clear. "Both good and bad."

"Tell us the good first." General Su said before Shang could even open his mouth.

"We have gathered plenty of information which will become very useful to the war. Captain Fa said they might even determine its outcome." He approached the Generals and left a leather case on top of the table. It undoubtedly contained the reports.

"And the bad?" Now it was Shang who asked, his voice steadier now, however that could not be said for his state of mind.

"The bad news are..." The soldier hesitated, looking back and forth between the Generals. "The bad news are that Captain Fa is dead."

* * *

**A/N:** it's me again! How did you like this one? I know I said I would have it posted by the 9th, but wasn't working yesterday evening when I tried to upload it, so it had to wait until today. I hope it was wll worth the wait though!

I have also an announcement to make! Blatantly copying the technique used by one of my favourite authors on this site (her penname is Loten, if you like Harry Potter, you'll lover her stories), I'm giving the person who posts the 200th review (and every 100th after that) a gift: a one-shot related to this story! The prompt is to be chosen by said reviewer. If you have any questions or comments about this, don't hesitate to ask!

Again, I hoped you liked this chapter. I can't tell you when I'll post the next one, but hopefully soon!


	24. Chapter 24

**A/N:** Sooo... Here it is! Finally a new chapter! I'm sorry it took me so long to post, but these last months have been hectic! I finally finished my final exams, which is great, and will allow me to update more often.

Thank you for all the reviews that you sent: I assure you, I'm very much alive and don't plan to die any time soon, so this story will be finished :)

By the way! No one knew the Harry Potter reference! One of you did actually ask for it... Therefore I shall wait till next chapter to reveal it!

Now, without further ado... Enjoy! :) I think you are going to like this one...

**ATTENTION! **Mild torture in this chapter. Although it is relatively important to the storyline, I understand if some of you are unconfortable reading the scene, therefore feel free to skip it when you reach the following symbol: **SKIP **(Iknow, original right?). You can continue reading when it says **End**

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Disclaimer: All characters in this story are the rightful property of Disney, except for Luo Jin, Captain Hsiao Tso-liang and Captain Ma Yuan, who belong to icedragon6171 and Captain Wo Chen, Huo Feng, Hsien Loong and Tsai Lin who belong to me!:)

**Towards the Setting Sun**

**Chapter 24**

Three weeks had passed since the news of Mulan's death had reached the Chinese camp. She had been a good Captain, and well respected by her men, so her loss was deeply felt by all. But no one was more affected than the two Generals, albeit for very different reasons. All the men knew the Captain and General Li had been very good friends (there were even some rumours that their relationship was much less platonic), so they were aware that the younger General was mourning her loss. On the other hand, General Su was known to think of her as another piece of the Army of China. A valuable one, no doubt, especially since the Battle of the Canyon, but he still saw her in the same dispassionate way as he saw the rest of them: soldiers. Parts of a whole.

So while Shang mourned, Su Dingfeng plotted restlessly and planned their next move. He had read the information gathered during Mulan's scouting mission over and over to try to devise the best possible attack. Mulan had been nothing if not a perfeccionist, the General thought to himself. The reports she had written were the most thorugh and complete he had ever seen from a soldier in perhaps the totality of his career. And she had nice and clear handwriting too, which made them even easier to read.

While lost in his thoughts and his planning, he suddenly heard a screaming voice outside, in the training field. It wasn't the first time anyone in camp heard it. With a knowing sigh he got up and went to investigate.

Upon arriving to his destination, the sight that greeted him was a furious General Li berating a soldier for some misdeed or other. It was slowly becoming a familiar sight. A mourning Shang, as the soldiers had had the chance to experience, by no means meant a less demanding one. On the contrary: not only was he equally tough, but he was also in a constant foul mood which had all of the men on edge.

"General Li!" Su Dingfeng said when he was close enough for the other man to hear. "I need your assistance with the planning of the attack. Come with me." If the men thought it strange for the General to deliver the message in person instead of summoning the younger man to his tent, they didn't comment on it. "Have a look at this." He added handing Shang a scrolled piece of parchment. Shang took it from his hand while not taking his eyes from the man he had been speaking to before.

"If you believe my having business with General Su gives you permission to stand there doing nothing, you are very much _wrong._ Get back to work!" He said in a low threatening voice.

The man in question scurried back to the rest of the group and began the fighting exercises anew.

Once back inside his tent, General Su had a good look at the man in front of him. He was obviously tired. Both physically and psycologically, and had deep black circles under his eyes to prove it. There was also a constant frown gracing his features. He knew that since Mulan's death Shang had not been sleeping well. He could often be seen patrolling, or studying Mulan's notes at night well after the rest of the camp had turned the lights off.

"So, I see I was proven right." General Su said managing to down on his companion despite his lower stature. "Unfit to be a General. Just like your father before you" General Su wouldn't, under normal circumstances mention the deceased Li patriarch when talking to Shang in a professional setting such as this, however the war was wearing on him, and the lack of progress, a progress that had begun to be a possibility when Mulan presented her plan to him, was no help at all.

"Don't you _dare _say anything about my father!" Shang threatened.

"But it's true! Look at you, Li Shang, take a good look. Is this what a General should be? I don't think so. Nor do I think this behaviour was what the Emperor had been thinking of when he appointed you."

"You don't understand" Shang answered. It sounded childish even to his own ears. He knew Dingfeng was right. He hadn't been acting as he should have. He, who prided himself on his self-control had lost it. The rational part of his brain had been prepared for this: he had known that day at tha Fa family home that Mulan could die if she decided to go to war. Any of them could. It was a risk they were willing to take. However his emotional part was rebelling, and Shang was having difficulty controlling it.

"I don't understand, you say? _I don't understand? _On the contrary, I_ do _understand. Do you think I have never lost men? I have, and so have you! Captain Fa was just one more! Aren't you the one always preaching about morale? What do you think your screaming around like a madman is doing for your so called morale now!"

"Oh! But I thought you would aprove! After all discipline is what you want, isn't it?" Shang replied, his tone full of vitriol.

"There is a difference between discipline and shouting at everyone and everything that crosses your path! And to think everyone was so impressed with your reaction to your father's murder when the Huns invaded China... This is no different, no matter how _important_ she was to you." General Su's tone was no less vitriolic.

"You don't understand" Shang repeated. This time his voice was low and defeated. He fisted his hands to hide their trembling from the other man. "I swore to protect her. I swore I would bring her back. To her father."

"If it is pity you want from me you aren't going to get it. You have yet to lose what I have lost. I lost what was dearest and most valuable to me to your father. He too swore to protect my daughter when he married her. Yet he didn't. He allowed her to die because of you. It seems not being able to keep promises is a common trait among the Li men. The apple has not fallen far from the tree, I see."

Shang didn't say a word, not even to defend the attacks to his honour that the other man had just made. He just stood there, his eyes intensely fixed on his granfather. It was the very first time in Shang's life that Su Dingfeng mentioned his mother in his presence, that he made any allusion to their connection as a family.

"I never wanted for it to happen." Shang said.

"Yet it did. And nothing can be done. However I am here, doing my job and my duty. I suggest you do the same." He ended the conversation with a look that warned Shang not to push any further. "Now lets get to work."

...

The whip cracked for what seemed like the millionth time since she had first arrived. She had lost count of how many days she had spent as a prisoner to the Turks, since she generally passed out after the beatings, sometimes for several days. At least that's what she had been told by the scrawny Turk who came to deliver her food. He rarely spoke to her, he seemed almost afraid. He just came into her windowless cell, delivered her food and left in a hurry.

However, in the whipping room (that's how Mulan had dubbed the place where she took her lashings) there was a small window that signaled it was early morning. They had been there since midnight. She took solace looking out of it and thinking that her family would be safe, looking at the same sky she was now seeing.

_**(SKIP)**_

The whip landed on her now bloddied back anew, and she had to bite the inside of her cheek to muffle her scream of pain. Although the couldn't always help herself, she tried not to give them the satisfaction of hearing the manifestation of her pain.

There were always two men with her as she was tortured: the one with the whip, who generally didn't talk, and a beady eyed man with a grey beard (that had been black at some point) who asked the questions. So far he hadn't got much from her, so it was evident he was getting frustrated: both due to his behaviour and the pain on her back. She had told them that she had been on a scouting mission to study the enemy camp. She had tried to lie by saying she was no one of importance to avoid further questioning, however they already knew who she was as well as her rank within the army. Fame wasn't being very helpful now, Mulan thought darkly to herself.

They also knew of her close relationship with General Li, so they believed she would indeed have valuable information. She hadn't revealed anything, and yet they had been aware of almost everything about her since the day of her capture. She had begun to wander why they kept her alive. Did they believe she would break? Or was it because she was a woman, a virgin? Yes, they knew she was still pure. Much to her embarrasment the turkish medic had evaluated her upon arrival.

Mulan didn't want to be killed or raped. However, she knew the reality of war, and was aware that it was a not to distant possibility that one, or even both of those things would happen. The only thing she could do now was pray to her ancestors, asking them to keep her strong, and should the worst happen, to make it quick and as painless as possible.

The whip resonated once more in the small room. She saw more droplets of scarlet blood, _her_ blood, falling to the floor. She fell down to the floor from her previous kneeling position in front of the pole to which her hands were bound. The fall made her hit her head on the cylindrical piece of wood. Pain exploded in her head and she winced, moving her wrists in a circular motion to attempt to ease some of the strain caused by the tight rope tying them together.

She was trying to regain control of her laboured breathing, when Grey-Beard approached her and grabbed a fisful of her dirty and matted hair. He pulled, forcing her to rise. The pain was too much and she screamed, as she felt each and every one of the wounds in her back.

"TELL ME!" The Turk yelled at her in his rough accent while holding her face very close to his.

Mulan merely looked down, lacking the energy to say anything at all. While still holding her by the hair, the man used his free hand to roughly lift her chin so that she was again looking him in the eye.

"I repeat: tell me! What was the information you and your men managed to gather from your spying!"

When she failed to answer once again, the man in front of her raised a fisted hand and struck her on the side of the face with it. Pain erupted once more from the place where she had been hit as she fell back again to the floor, straining her wrists anew. Blood flooded her mouth from where she had bitten her own lip to avoid crying in pain again. Its metallic taste was already very familiar to her. It wasn't the first time she experienced it. Nor would it be the last, she was afraid.

Whip-Man said something in Ottoman in a gruff voice. And Grey-Beard answered in kind. She wasn't any closer to understanding their impossible language then than she had been when she first arrived, despite her best efforts.

"They won't let me touch your face. What a pity. There are _so_ many things I could do to it to wrench the truth out of your pretty little mouth." He said in a sadistic tone. He then walked to the table beside the stool in which he usually sat and picked a wickedly curved small knife from it as if to prove the point of his words.

Mulan knew of all the torture devices that sat innocently waiting at that table, Thankfully she had only experienced the effects of the leather whip.

She dearly hoped she was either dead or out of that place before she had the chance to become intimately acquainted with any of them.

Before she knew what was happening, she felt a burning pain on her back. She turned her head to identify its source only to see Grey-Beard baring his yellowed teeth at her while pouring the strong alcohol from his wine bladder down her back and directly onto her wounds.

She screamed anew, and then everything went black.

Her last thought wasn't wishing she was home.

It was wishing she had never left.

_**(End)**_

...

When she woke up, she was back in her cell, lying face down on her cot. There was a pounding pain in her head, and her back was extremely sore. She reached a hand to touch it and felt the bandages that had been placed on it. This was normal. It was always done after the worst torture sessions. She had discovered early on that her captors didn't want her dead, so in order to keep torturing her, sha had to be moderately healed. If not, they risked injuring one of her main organs or arteries.

She touched her head and also felt a bandage there. That was strange. The medic only did the bare minimum when healing her. Perhaps she had had some kind of concussion? That would certainly explain the dizziness...

She turned and sat up, wincing at the pain the movements caused, and walked to the door to retrieve the soup and the piece of bread that had been left for her there. The soup was already cold, but she ate it all nevertheless. After that she went back to sleep.

It was a while later that a noise jut outside of her cell woke her up again. Sure enough, she heard the noise of rattling keys, and the sound of her wooden door's lock opening. Bright light came into the room, blinding her momentarily. When her eyes finally adjusted, she looked up.

She stared at the man at the door, her eyes open like saucers.

"Hello Mulan, dear. Did you miss me?" He said in a mocking, haughty and _perfect_ chinese.

Mulan knew that voice, she knew that face.

It belonged to none other than her former best friend Luo Jin.

* * *

**A/N:** well! There you go! Another chapter (and cliffie! I know, I'm evil!). Again I'm sorry for the huge delay in the posting. Hope this chapter was worth it and made up for it! :)


	25. Chapter 25

**A/N: **thanks to all of you who reviewed, I truly am very grateful for your praise and encouragement! I know I haven't been very good with responses lately, but I'm still very grateful! Special thanks go to **TheFreelancerSeal** who submitted the 200th review! As promised, you get a one-shot with a prompt of your choosing (it has to be related to this story plot, but other than that it can be anything you like! :)). The prompt has already been chosen and I'm working on it already, so it will be up next week I hope.

BTW! Those of you who leave anonymous reviews, if you have an account log in and review from there, otherwise I cannot answer! :)

**Warning!** This chapter is rather dark. Non consensual sexual acts to which I would give an M rating. There is also coarse language. You know how it goes, if you don't want to read the dark bits all you have to do is **SKIP. **I apologise to those who might be offended by these sorts of scenes, but one of my goals with this story (as well as one of the goals of the original author) was to make it as realistic as possible, and you all have to admit that when you are a prisoner at an enemy camp, especially if you are a woman, disagreeable things are bound to happen.

...

Disclaimer: All characters in this story are the rightful property of Disney, except for Luo Jin, Captain Hsiao Tso-liang and Captain Ma Yuan, who belong to icedragon6171 and Captain Wo Chen, Huo Feng, Hsien Loong and Tsai Lin who belong to me!:)

**Towards the Setting Sun**

**Chapter 25**

"Why?" Mulan asked, her voice full of hatred and revulsion. "Why did you do it? Why did you betray us like this?

At her words Luo Jin laughed. It wasn's a sound Mulan wanted to hear ever again.

"Why? You ask me _why_? You threw me out like I was rubbish! You left me to die! What else could I have done? Go back home as a deserter? A pariah without honour? And that's what would have happened had I managed to cross the desert! Wounded and without supplies. I did what I had to do to survive. The Chinese Army had turned their backs on me. So I did the same. Ther Turks were very kind to me when I offered information in exchange of healing and a place to stay"

"Don't expect me to feel sorry for you, Luo Jin. You got what you deserved, You knew the consequences to your actions, and yet you tried to rape me anyways! We were friends! I trusted you! Even despite your betrayal I begged Shang to forgive you, to spare your life, because I believed that perhaps there was still a residue of our friendship there, and that your actions were a result of the alcohol you had drunk! I shouldn't have bothered to make up excuses for you!"

_**(SKIP)**_

"Indeed you should have not." The corners of Luo Jin's lips rose slightly as he aproached Mulan, who was sitting on her cot looking defiantly at him. "I'm now perfectly sober and I still want to fuck you. Hard. This time I wouldn't even bother to make it enjoyable for you. It would be for my pleasure only."

At his words Mulan hugged herself both for protection and to hide her body from Luo Jin's feral stare. Suddenly her clothes didn't seem like enough.

"You wouldn't dare." Mulan tried to sound confident. She failed.

"Wouldn't I?" Quick as lightning Jin was on top of her, holding both of her hands in a thight grip above her head with one of his, while with the other he grabbed a fistful of her hair to tilt her head to one side and gain access to her neck. Mulan cried both in fear and pain. "Scream all you like, dear. No one will hear you. It's just you and me. No Generals will come to your rescue this time." He whispered in her ear while biting on her earlobe. Mulan wiggled trying to escape his tight grip, but he didn't relent. He sucked her neck, ignoring her protests and cries, while he let the hand that had been holding her hair wander to her breast.

He reached the sash that held her tunic together and untied it, pushing it aside. Luckily, all the skin from her breasts to her navel was covered in the bandages that had been used to heal her back, somewhat protecting her body from Luo Jin's inquisitive hand. The bandages however did not deter him from palming her breast anew, while he lowered his head to the exposed area of her chest. He roughly licked an bit every inch of it before making his way back to her neck.

Mulan, filled with fear and disgust, wiggled even more, ignoring the pain on her back as her wounds reopened. She managed to free one of her hands, and at the same time he rose his face from her neck to look at her. Before he could do anything to stop it, Mulan punched him on the face. The sound of bones breaking reverberated against the walls of her cell, as did Luo Jin's cries of pain as he released her arms and brought his hands to his broken and bleeding nose.

"As you can see, I don't need any Generals to save me. I manage rather well on my own, don't I?"

"Get off your high horse, Mulan. If I truly had intended to rape you, I would have, make no mistake. I want to rape you. So very badly. Especially since the confirmation of your virginity reached my ears. It seems you and Shang were really _just friends... _And here I was thinking you were spreading your legs for him in exchange of a place and position in the Army as well as protection. After all, even a man as _honourable_ as him wouldn't be able to refuse a prize as delectable as you, would he?" His calm demeanour while he said all that, just after what she knew had been a painful punch, unsettled and scared Mulan much more than any screaming would have.

"Shang would _never_ do that! He is twice the man you'll ever be!" Mulan screamed at him. Jin simply smiled at her. He made a grotesque sight with his face covered in blood.

"You are even more delicious when you are angry. Look at the effect you have on me." He forcefully grabbed one of her hands and brought it to the bulge in his troursers. Mulan tried to take her hand back, but he kept it firmly in place, rubbing it along his length. "I cannot have you, because your virginity has been reserved for the sultan, the leader of the Turkish Empire. However, perhaps he'll let me have a go once he's through... In the meantime, rest assured there are many things we can do whithout my cock being in your cunt, and they'll be just as pleasurable. Well, at least for me."

_**(End)**_

Tears were falling from Mulan's eyes, and she turned her head to hide them from Luo Jin. She was only half listening to what he was saying, however the meaning of his words was very clear.

This was war. She had known something along the lines of this could happen to her, and yet she had accepted the Emperor's mission. Now she had to remain strong.

"Oh, don't fret, Mulan. You could have it so much worse. Your _fame _has granted you a life in the palace of a king. True, you'll be one of his many whores, and you'll never get to see those you love ever again, except for me, of course, I'll make sure to visit you _very_ often." He gave her another of his creepy smiles upon saying that. "But look on the bright side. If you were just anyone, you would have already been raped by the whole camp and left to die somewhere, unable to return home and scorned by all those who know you because you threw you honour and virginity away. However, that is not the case, and as soon as we win the war, you'll go to your new home. Why did you think your face has not yet been hurt? I'm told it's because your beauty should be preserved for the sultan, thus not damaged..."

"Wait, what did you say?" Mulan interrupted, rising her voice in anger. Luo Jin gave her an irritated look. "You said 'we'? 'When _we_ win the war'? Are you really so foolish as to think you are one of them? They only want you for what you can give them! They would have killed you without a second thought just a few months ago!"

Luo Jin stared at her for a few seconds before suddenly bursting into hysterical laughter.

"Oh, Mulan! How ironic to hear such words coming from _your_ mouth! I could ask you _exactly_ the same thing! Do you really think the Chinese Army and your dear oh-so-honourable General Li think of you as one of them! Don't be foolish! As you just pointed out, they would have killed you without a second thought all those months ago if you hadn't blown up that Hun in the Imperial City, so please, spare me your holier-than-thou attitude."

"Don't you _dare_ compare our situations! I joined the army of my country to protect my father and preserve the family honour! You, on the other hand, betrayed your people when you first laid hands on me that night. You shouldn't have been doing any of the things you did that night!Then when you were banished from the army, instead of somehow trying to redeem yourself, you betrayed us anew and joined the enemy! ALl of this you did for your own selfish reasons. I really don't think our situations can be compared."

Jin frowned at her but said nothing, so Mulan pressed on.

"Our choices define who we are, Jin, and I don't think I like the man you've become. I don't think you like him much either." Mulan stood up slowly, using the wall beside her as leverage.

This time he looked down and turned his head to the side, as if ashamed. Perhaps she was getting to him.

"Help me, Jin. Help me leave this place. Come with me and I'll ensure everything goes back to the way it was before."

Suddenly she realised she had done something wrong. His eyes filled with feral anger, the kind that had been there on that fateful night when his life, and in a way her own, had changed forever. He lunged at her, both his hands settled around her neck, choking her, and he looked her straight in the eye. The metallic smell of drying blood that still covered his face stung her nostrils.

"NO! I'll never go back to them! Do not delude yourself into thinking any of them would forgive me! And even if by some miracle they did, my family never would! So don't ever mention it again, because if you do, no matter what plans the Turks have for you, I'll kill you with my bare hands!"

She believed him. Mulan only had to look into his eyes to know he spoke the truth.

...

It had been a few days since Mulan's first encounter with Luo Jin. She had seen him everyday since, but he hadn't touched her. He only came in and talked to her. She wasn't even tortured anymore. It almost seemed everything between her and her former friend was back to normal, except for the fact that it was still very ovbious she was a prisoner and he was not, a fact he subtly flaunted whenever he could, as well as the dangerous dark glow that permanently shone in his eyes.

At first she had been suspicious of the man's behaviour, thinking the threats and harassment would come soon, so she refused to talk to him, remaining completely silent when he came to see her. Surely this could not be the man that had been so callous with her upon their first encounter among the Turks, right? However, she decided to start playing his games. Perhaps it would end up working to her advantage.

Mulan had learned to avoid certain topics of conversation to prevent his anger. She simply let him talk and observed. It was clear he wouldn't help her, as he had so clearly stated upon their first encounter, so she was alone.

She was rapidly healing and regaining her strenght, so her mind was at its sharpest. Mulan didn't know when she'd pay another visit to the whipping room, so she tried to cram as much information as she could.

Everyday it was the same: Jin came into her cell around noon (or so she thought, after subtly asking. It was always the same time, just after Jin finished his training and planning with the Turks). He came with her food. She didn't see the scrawny Turk in charge of her meals anymore, so she now knew she was fed once a day. While she ate, he talked, and Mulan observed. He usually wore soft leather boots that stopped below the knee, dark coloured troursers, which had seen better days, and a dirty shirt that was slightly big for him. Around his hips there was a worn leather belt, where he kept a small hunting knife.

Mulan didn't know much about the Western Turks. Just what little she had read about them, what Shang had told her, and what she had seen of them in battle. What she did know was that they were a rising empire. Not as wealthy and powerful as the Chinese, but worthy of respect nevertheless. It was evident that Jin wasn't as much a part of this army as he would have liked. His dirty and dishevelled appearance told her that he wasn't as important to the commanding officers as he had led her to beileve. However, she had to know for sure, and no matter what he discovered, try to use it to her advantage.

When he left, Jin exchanged some words with the guard that now stood at her door. Mulan didn't know if he had always been there, or if he had always been the same. What she did know is that he was there now, and most importantly he had the keys to her cell.

When Jin was not with her, she mostly slept and explored her little cell. There wasn't much to see: four windowless stone walls, one wooden door, a dirty floor and a thin cot that served as a bed. There was also a metallic bucket in the far corner of the room that she used to relieve herself. She used the edge of the bucket to scratch at the dried mud that held the stones together. This started as something to pass the time when she was bored, but then became a sort of mission when she discovered there was a loose stone at the base of her wall, close to the cot. She finally separated the stone from the wall, but kept it in place. Perhaps it could become handy as a weapon sometime...

"Jin." Mulan said one day after she had finished her lunch. "How long did it take you to learn Turkish?"

"Why the sudden interest?" He asked with suspicion.

"Just curious." She shrugged.

"Just curious? I'm afraid that's not a very convincing answer. If you really want to know you'll have to tell me the truth behind your 'curiosity'. In the meantime, I have other things to do."

He left after saying that.

Was she really that obvious? Could he really see through her? She has been able to obtain tidbits of information, but whenever she gathered the courage to ask (with subtlety, of course) something important, he closed off and left. Was it becouse he suspected her? Or because the questions reminded him of all he had betrayed and left behind due to his own mistakes? Either way she didn't care. She needed to know. She _would_ know.

...

The next day Luo Jin came to see her was two days after the latest incident. That meant she had spent a whole day without food or drink, which resulted in her wolfing down everything he brought for her. For some reason that amused him, and the glint in his eyes made her shudder.

"Always the lady, right Mulan?" He teased with malice.

She ignored his comment and instead said:

"The other day you asked me to tell you the truth behind my interest of your knowledge of the Turkish language." At her words he bacame serious. "Well, the truth is that I've resigned myself to my fate." She sighed as she said this.

"You mean to say you give up." He taunted.

She didn't answer. She just lowered her head and let her dirty hair fall around her face to hide the tears that had begun to fall. He spoke the truth. In a way she _had_ given up.

"It's just..." Mulan swallowed the lump in her throat. "You know that no one is coming for me. It's been too long. If they had had any intention of doing so, we would have seen it already, alas they have not. I understand. After all, I was only one member of something much greater than myself. Our mission was the war. Many died or dissapeared before I did, and yet we continued with the mission: the war. Why would I be any different? However I cannot help but be dissapointed." Her tears were now falling freely, and she couldn't hide the trembling of her voice anymore.

She looked up and met his piercing stare.

"I'm listening." He said.

"Well, then, as I said, I have resigned myself to my fate, however don't be foolish to think I wouldn't want to make the best of it too. If I'm to be sent off to some unknown place to be some man's plaything, I want to be prepared, or as prepared as one can be. I have to learn how to survive best. I figure the first step would be to learn their language." She paused before adding, "I asked you that question the other day because you seemed rather proficient." People in general liked to be flattered. Men like Jin even more so, Mulan knew that.

Luo Jin smiled. In Mulan's opinion it was more of a sick grimance.

"What would I gain in return?" He said. Mulan stayed silent. "I could indeed teach you their language and customs. I could even introduce you to the other women in the camp." At Mulan's look of surprise he added, "Yes, there are other women here. Some of the most senior commanding officers bring their whores with them to keep them entertained. They sometimes let us have a go." He smirked as Mulan shuddered. "Perhaps I could arrange for you to meet even some of the men, so that you learn how to interact with them."

Mulan gave a small nod.

"But we are back where we were: what do I get in exchange of my help?"

"What do you want?" Mulan asked cautiously. The moment she finished the question she knew she should have never tried to strike a deal with this man, and that she would regret ever having done so. She spotted the desire as well as the satisfaction lurking in his eyes, and upon seeing it, she couldn't do anything to avoid the terror that filled hers.

"We are friends, are't we, Mulan?" He stood from his usual position on the floor in fron of her, and walked over to her cot where she was sitting. He knelt before and raised his hand to caress her cheek. "What would you say to becoming friends _with benefits_?"

...

Shang was a soldier, and this was war. He coulnd't let his personal feelings get in the way of what he had to do.

That is what he told himself everyday since Mulan's death. It still pained him, but it was getting better, or at least _he_ was getting better at hiding his pain from the other men, even his fellow General. But he still felt it.

The men were more at ease in his presence, and General Su had stopped throwing those dissapointed frowns his way. They even sometimes spoke her name in his presence without fearing his reaction.

Because he had stopped to react.

He now had one primary objective.

Revenge.

He would ensure his troops won this war. The sooner the better. But now it wasn't only because the Emperor had ordered it, or because it was his duty, or because he had to honour his family.

No. He was doing it for her. Because he knew she would have wanted him to accomplish what they had come here to do.

So he threw himself to planning and training the troops.

Next battle would be very soon. And if the gods wished it so, it would be the last one.

* * *

A/N: soooo! There you have it! We are slowly reaching the end of this story! Again sorry for the dark tone this chapter took, but don't worry, that is as bad as it gets!

I don't know if the commanding officers of the Turkish Army brought whores with them. I made that up.

What is true is that the ruler of the Western Turks, or the Turkish Empire or Sultanate was indeed called a Sultan. There were many different Sultanates throughout the years, but since this story was not set in an actual time frame by the orginal author I cannot really say which of those Sultanates we would be talking about.

I don't know if you remember but in the 3rd chapter icedragon6171 left a Historical Notethat talked about the Tang dynasty (618-907), and its conflicts with the Turks (both eastern and western). Although many speculate that the Mulan film is set during the time of Genghis Khan (he would be Shan Yu in the movie) we don't really know for sure, so for all intents and purposes, I inform you now: as it was (more or less) said by icedragon6171 in chapter 3, this story is set during the Tang dynasty. To be more exact during the reign of its second Emperor: Emperor Taizong of Tang. As the story advances, I'll post more historical notes about him and his dynasty. If you have any questions, don't hesitate to ask! :)

BTW! A little poll to answer when you review!

In the movie, Mulan is often said to be 16. I personally agree. How old do you think she was? And most importantly: we don't know Shang's age in the film! What do you think it was? I'll post the results next chapter! :)


	26. Chapter 26

Thank you so much for all the reviews and support! I don't think I say it often enough! I'm really grateful to my anonymous reviewers too, even if I can't answer to you directly. Especially thanks to anonymous reviewer **Elizabella **for her very supportive feedback!

BTW! For the last chaper I wrote I received my first negative review ever (wohohoho! :) ) I'm telling you this to remind you that if you have any criticism to give, or you think some things in the story should be done in a different, and in your opinion better way, please tell me! All those things help me improve, and while the positive feedback (which I love, so don't hesitate to give it too!) motivates me a lot, it's the negative one that helps me learn.

Last but not least, before we start with the chapter, the results to the question about the **characters' ages**:

-Mulan: most people agree that she is somewhere between 16 and 18, with some of you even saying she might be as old as 20 or 21. I agree with the majority. It has been said by many that in the original movie she was 16, so since several months have passed since then, she'd be around 17 when the events in this story are taking place, and might have reached the age of 18 by the time this story is over.*

-Shang: most of you believe him to be slightly older than Mulan (ages ranging from 21 to 25), whether some of you think he's slightly younger (from 18 to 21). Again, I agree with the first opinion, so for the purposes of this story, Shang would have been 21 during the events in the movie, around 22 when this story takes place, and perhaps 23 by the time this all ends.*

*Bear in mind that 5 months pass between the original movie and the begining of this story

**IMPORTANT! **I don't know if you are aware, but the prize one-shot for the 200th reviewer has already been posted! It's a companion piece of this story so you might like to check it out. The title is** Towards the Setting Sun: Darkness. **Here is the summary to tempt you:_Prize for the 200th reviewer of TtSS. Shang's thoughts and actions troughout the day in which he receives word of Mulan's death at the hands of the Turks. How does he deal with it in the immediate aftermath knowing all the things that will have to be forever left unsaid? _

The next prize will go to the 300th reviewer, so if you want it, don't forget to review!

...

Disclaimer: All characters in this story are the rightful property of Disney, except for Luo Jin, Captain Hsiao Tso-liang and Captain Ma Yuan, who belong to icedragon6171 and Captain Wo Chen, Huo Feng, Hsien Loong and Tsai Lin who belong to me!:)

**Towards the Setting Sun**

**Chapter 26**

Mulan's life as a prisoner in enemy camp had changed drastically since that fateful (could she really call it that? She supposed it was a name as good as any) conversation with Luo Jin. Now she was allowed outside of her dismal cell during the day, and although she couldn't visit all areas of the camp, it was enough for her. Inprisonment wasn't as constricting as it had been during the early days, even if freedom was still very far away. She had all but lost hope in the Chinese Army coming to her rescue. It pained her to admit it, but se could understand it, after all she was just one more casualty of something greater than herself (she could very well picture General Su saying something like that). She supposed if duty had demanded it of her, she would have done the same.

Despite Luo Jin's seemingly low standing within the Turkish Army, it was through his intervention that she had been able to meet some of the officers of the Turkish Army. She had watched them interacting with Jin, and her suspicions were confirmed: they treated him with contempt and spoke with a tone of superiority whenever they addressed him. Sometimes she even felt she was treated with more respect than he was. He did too, and when that happened, she paid dearly when they went back to her cell, and it was time to uphold her part of the bargain.

She remembered the first days after having struk the deal with Jin. For her, those moments when she had to pay up were the worst. She felt humiliated. How could anyone agree to perform _favours_ the way she had and still feel worthy of being her parents' daughter, who had taught her all the rules of proper behaviour? Of being a Captain to the Emperor's Army, who had presented her as an example to follow to the people of China? She didn't feel worthy, she felt nothing more than dirty.

And Shang? What would he think of her if he saw what she did with Luo Jin? Just that thought made her shiver with shame. She had stopped thinking about him. His name was a forbidden word now, even in her thoughts.

She remembered how she had cried in the beginning, while performing the despicable acts Jin asked to. But she soon stopped crying. She saw he _liked_ it, so she stopped,because she was determined to whithold any pleasure she could from the man.

Soon she settled into a routine: during the day, she went around the camp. Despite the fact that she wasn't allowed to visit all areas (te weaponry tent, for instance), she already knew the place like the back of her hand. After all, it was a military camp, therefore not so different from her own. From what_ had been_ her own, Mulan amended. After all, there was no possible way to go back now. During lunch, she went to the kitchens, and ate with the other women. She had been very surprised when she learnt that women travelled with the troops, and served as whores. The Chinese Army would never tolerate something like that, since women were forbidden in camp, Mulan being the notable excption. Men were allowed to visit brothels when passing through towns, at most, but that was all. The Turks, however, not only took these women with them, but they paid them a salary.

It was these women with whom Mulan felt more at ease. They had taken a liking to her when they learned of her plight at Luo Jin's hands (after all they hadn't become whores due to choice, but more like due to the lack of it) and took her under their wing. It was thanks to them that she was finally starting to learn the language of the Turks, as well as other, less honourable tricks that were coming handy in such a hostile environment. They had managed to teach her what no one else had been able to do so before: the ways of women. Poise, elegance, grace. Mulan allowed herself a rare tiny smile whenever she thought about what the village's _matchmaker_ would think of her in those moments. She learned the art of subtlety in seduction, how a man could be ensnared with just one look. But most of all, these women had helped to regain her self respect. She still felt humiliated when Luo Jin touched her the way she had meant only one other to touch her, but now she knew that she was doing what she needed to do to survive. At least that was what she kept telling herself. She promised herself everyday that she wouldn't give Jin the satisfaction of breaking her.

During the afternoon she helped them with their chores, until Luo Jin called her back to her cell. That was the worst part of her day, and one she refused to think about. She just went through the motions required of her until he left.

It was then, before going to sleep, that she moved the loose rock she had discovered close to her cot, and took the piece of paper that was inside the hole left by the stone. She opened and looked at it, just like she had done every night for a long while. It was a map of the camp, where all the strategic points were properly signaled. She had drawn it and made the necessary additions whenever she obtained new information. Doing this was foolish, she knew. What if she was discovered? But she couldn't help herself, it gave her hope, the necessary strenght to wake up the next day.

...

"Mulan, could you pass me that cloth?" Asked one of the women, Sara, while they prepared to have lunch. Mulan handed her the item and the other woman smiled in thanks.

"So Mulan," one of the others said as they sat to eat. "A little bird told me that the _Agha _Ahmed bin Abdullah has been giving you the eye lately."

"What?" Mulan asked. The other woman thinking she hadn't understood due to the language, repeated more slowly. "No, I understood what you said, Dahlia, I just don't know why you would think something like that!" She said, feeling proud of her relative fluency with the foreign words.

Dahlia and Sara gave each other a knowing look. Mulan on the other hand was lost, and it was plainly evident due to the look on her face. Dahlia gave an exasperated sigh, which Mulan knew to be fake, and smiled.

"You would have to be blind not to see it." She said.

"Or a man." Sara interjected.

"Yes, or a man." Dahlia agreed. Mulan had long ago noticed that despite their chosen profession, they didn't have a very high opinion of men in general. "You are different from us Mulan, and I think he likes that. You don't want anything from him, and he finds conversing with you to be entretaining. Not to mention your reputation in the Chinese Army preceeds you. He is impressed by you."

The men at the Turkish camp didn't trust her as a general rule, in great part due to her past with the Chinese Army, and as Dahlia had said, her reputation. However, the commanding officers were curious about her and had taken an interest in her. She had lately often been invited to their tents to talk, generally about innocuous things. As Mulan started to be able to speak more fluently, she answered, and debates ensued. The one among the officers with whom she spent most time was indeed the _Agha _Ahmed bin Abdullah. _Agha, _as he had explained, was a commander of a specific group of the army, in his case, the cavalry. It was higher ranking than a Chinese Captain, but lower than a General. Although Mulan was well aware that she was a prisioner in an enemy camp, the _Agha _was someone who more or less resembled a friend.

"There is your chance to free yourself from Jin, Mulan." Sara said opening her already amazingly big green eyes. As she said, Mulan's subconscious reflected they were probably among the most beautiful eyes she had ever seen. The rest of her brain, however, was processing what the girl had just said.

"How could I do that?" She asked.

"Think. You already told us, the _Agha _doesn't have any respect for him. He, and the rest of the officers will keep him around until he outlives his usefulness, and that moment is approaching fast, especially with the last two battles lost, and the smaller scout camp to the north destoryed last week." Mulan smiled at this last comment. Even though her future didn't look too bright, it looked as if the war was going to end soon, one way or another. There had been encounters on the battlefield, as well as assaults nearly on a weekly basis, and it looked as if the Chinese had the upper hand at the moment. "You, on the other hand are a woman he admires for her courage-

"And other, more carnal attributes, I dare say." This time it was Dahlia who interrupted.

"Yes, there is also that." Sara agreed giving her a wicked smile. "What I'm saying is that if you take all that into account and play it to your advantage, you could improve your quality of life here a great deal, and forget Luo Jin forever. Just think about it, and tell us what you decide tomorrow."

That night, as he touched her and forced himself upon her, she made up her mind.

...

Ahmed bin Abdullah was a rather young man. The youngest among the commanding officers, and rather respected among the soldiers, although some of the other officers frowned upon the fact that he held such a high title in what was his first campaign. Rumour had it he had only obtained it because of his close friendship with the sultan's older son. While Mulan didn't doubt his abilities as a soldier, she couldn't help but think that there was some truth to that statement.

He had olive coloured skin and brown eyes sprinkled with golden flecks. His dark brown shoulder lenght hair was combed back, but generally hidden under a turban, and his trimmed goatee made him look slightly older than his 29 years of age, which Mulan thought he liked.

When Mulan entered his tent that day he was reading. That wasn't a strange occurence. Ahmed was a scholarly man despite his position in the army. Mulan liked that about him. It made for very interesting conversations, and over the weeks he had taught her through those books the intricacies of the more refined Turkish, and demanded she address him only with it, instead of with what he called "commoners' words". He had explained that she would be living surrounded by aristocracy as soon as "the war is won", he liked to say, so she had to learn to conduct herself as such. It would be expected.

As men everywhere tended to do, he underestimated women. He constantly asked Jin about the Chinese Army's strategy, and Jin gave his answer, sometimes more correct than others (but he was forced to answer something, since he had after all traded his life for information). They didn't take into account that he was just a soldier, while she was a commanding officer. After her first days, when she had indeed been tortured, her fate had been decided. She would be saved for the sultan. Since then, Jin hadn't brought Whip-Man and Grey-Beard to her cell anymore, and while she hadn't known it at the time it had been due to Ahmed. When he was informed of her torture sessions, he took it upon himself to put them to an end. After all, as he had said to her when he told her the tale, "if you had had something to say, you would have said it already. No woman would be able to withstand that kind of torture and remain silent, even most men would have a hard time doing so." Mulan wasn't as foolish as to correct his erroneous way of thinking.

As Dahlia had said, he didn't think she wanted anything from him. She wasn't paid, or offered protection in exchange for her comversation and pretty smiles. After her conversation with the girls, Mulan had started to build the mood between Ahmed and herself. Now that she knew what to look for, she realised that he was indeed giving her what Dahlia had called "the look" a tad too often. When he did, she answered in kind, but making it subtle enough so as not to apprise him of her intentions.

Men truly were simple minded creatures.

She had trown hints at him about her relationship with Luo Jin, and her unhappiness about it, and he had responded by being even more unkind and disrespectful to him not only in private, but also in public, and more especially, in front of her. That was something Jin truly despised, and Mulan, knowing that took her chance and taunted him about it later at night when he came to her. It earned her several blows to her body, which promised to hurt during several days, and a very visible black eye.

The pain was dulled by the satisfaction Mulan felt when she witnessed the look of utter rage the on the _Agha's_ face when he saw her the next day, and was informed it had been Luo Jin's fault.

He outright asked her about her relationship with the man, and she told him her tale. Halfway through it, tears had begun to fall down her face, without her even noticing, and it wasn't until he raised his hand to wipe them away with his thumb that she realised. She looked up in surprise and saw the kindness in his eyes.

Suddenly the dam burst and she threw her arms around him and cried. Later she would ask herself what had possessed her to do that. But finally talking about her worst fears and seeing understanding in his eyes had been more than she could take.

He caressed her hair and back as she cried, and they stood together for a long time. Finally she realised how improper a situation she was in

"Sorry." She said as sha tried to untangle herself from the embrace. He held her there, not letting her go.

"Don't be. You are right to cry. No honourable woman like yourself should be treated like that. You are destined for a sultan, not vermin like Luo Jin. Therefore, you will, from now on, be under my protection until we go back to the capital. No one will harm you now."

He pulled her away from him but kept hold of her by gripping her shoulders. He smiled at her as he rose his hand again and wiped another stray tear.

"I promise I will never treat you like that, Mulan. I would never do anything you don't want me to."

"Thank you." She said looking down.

She then recalled Sara's words:

_"The protection he can offer you, as happens with any man, is fundamented on feeling They think with their crotch. Let him believe he has a chance with you, and you won't be touched by anyone. Keep him happy, and you will be happy as well, trust me."_

He was a good man. She shouldn't take advantage of him. He was the enemy and she had to do anything to stay alive. Her mind was filled with contradictions: what was the honourable thing to do? What was the right one? And the necessary one?

She was lost.

She leaned forward and kissed him.

Her mind screamed as he kissed her back.

* * *

_(Author goes hiding from the probably very angry readers...)_

A/N: There you go! I've been meaning to post this for ages, so I'm sorry for the wait. I hope you liked it and that it was worth the looooong wait! Tell me what you think in a **REVIEW**! Remember the 300th reviewer gets a prize one-shot of their choosing :)

I remind you that the prize for the 200th reviewer is already posted. Look for **Towards the Setting Sun: Darkness. **Here is the summary to tempt you (again):_Prize for the 200th reviewer of TtSS. Shang's thoughts and actions troughout the day in which he receives word of Mulan's death at the hands of the Turks. How does he deal with it in the immediate aftermath knowing all the things that will have to be forever left unsaid?_


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